INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, APRIL 5The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has issued a circular to all the local
levels, directing them to maintain accurate record of government, public, and community land within their respective areas.
Local levels told to identify site for integrated settlement
levels told to implement apex court order
According to the circular posted on the website of the MoFAGA, the local levels will also be required to publish records of government,
public and community lands in their website
The records will include plot number of lands, area and present condition.
"The local levels are requested to collect and
maintain land records in coordination and collaboration with the respective district administration offices, survey offices and land revenue
offices," the circular reads.An official at the MoFAGA said this circular followed a recent letter from the Commission for the Investigation
of Abuse of Authority, which warned that it was receiving complaints about the growing trend of plotting in government and public lands
without permission, merging such lands with new maps of private land, overlapping in newly registered maps, unauthorised land seizure and
encroachment, and sale or purchase of lands belonging to the government.As per the anti-graft body, the lands mainly situated in cities and
registered in the name of government offices, departments, ministries, public corporations, companies, academies, universities, and schools
are being targeted by racketeers amid growing urbanisation and their soaring value.The CIAA has been conducting investigation into many
cases of land grab and encroachment.The constitution and existing laws empower the district administration offices and local levels to
protect government, public and community lands, while maintaining their records in an orderly manner to ensure that they are not
misused.Cases of land grab are on the rise in urban areas, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur
The lands on either side of rivers and rivulets are targeted in particular
In some instances, racketeers collude with government authorities to register public land in the name of individuals.A version of this
article appears in the print on April 6, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com