Pokhara High Court Orders Ban on Bulldozers within Phewa Lake Boundaries

Pokhara / June 2: The Pokhara High Court has issued an interim order to the city, instructing it to refrain from using bulldozers within the four boundaries of Phewa Lake. The court has also mandated a prohibition on constructing any structures in the area.

Judge Dilli Raj Acharya, presiding over a single bench at the Pokhara High Court, issued the interim order.

Furthermore, the court has directed the Pokhara Metropolitan City to declare the boundaries of Phewa Lake as a restricted construction zone. It has also ordered the city to confiscate the bulldozers and trucks involved and take legal action against the drivers and operators.

In March 2021, a government committee designated the four boundaries of the lake.

To ensure the protection of the lake area, the Pokhara High Court has instructed the District Police Office Kaski to establish and supervise a security group led by at least one police inspector.

Advocate Manoj Gharti Magar filed a writ petition in the High Court, demanding a halt to the encroachment on the Phewa Lake area.

During the hearing, the Pokhara High Court requested written responses from Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Dipendra Bahadur Thapa, Chief of the Lake Conservation and Development Authority Kalpana Devkota, and Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, questioning why the construction and excavation were permitted.

The recent authorization to fill the wetland of Phewa Lake has sparked significant criticism.