Maoists oppose land acquisition

	PRABHAKAR GHIMIRE KATHMANDU, Dec 14: The process of selecting contractor for the construction of the much-touted Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track Highway has been delayed due to objection by local people led by the UCPN (Maoist) over the acquisition of land for the project. The government in the current fiscal year has allocated Rs 350 million for land acquisition for the 75-km express highway.  It has set aside Rs 325 million to open the track, which is to be completed by Nepal Army. The government is acquiring a total of 140 bighas of land in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Makwanpur and Bara districts for the project. A highly placed source at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) told Republica that the locals of Khokana of Lalitpur and Ipa Amchaur and Sisneri VDCs of Makwanpur have been obstructing the process of land measurement, placing different demands. “The process of land measurement in 3 km section of the 18 km stretch in Ipa and Amchour VDCs has come to a halt. Our officials are too scared to resume work,” the source said. The process of fixing compensation for around 40 bighas of land to be acquired in Thingan, Ambhanjyang, Hatiya and Phaparbari began only recently, due to long-running dispute with the locals, who were pressing the government for more compensation. The source added that locals of Khokana have warned the ministry officials to halt land measurement works, stating that the government officials have been ignoring woes of the local people. They have also been saying that big infrastructure projects would pose serious threat to the identity of the historic place. “Local leaders and cadres of UCPN (Maoist) have been protesting the government projects in the area,” the source said. Khokana locals are opposing the fast-track road, stating that other infrastructure projects like high-tension line of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), proposed Bagmati corridor project and the proposed Outer Ring Road projects have already acquired a large portion of land in the area. “We are not in a position to call Expression of Interest (EoI) for the construction and operation of the fast track road under public-private-partnership due to problems being faced in the land acquisition process,” the source added. Constituent Assembly member from the area Pampha Bhsual told Republica that the locals have serious objection over the construction of big infrastructure projects as the concerned government authorities do not consult them before planning the project. “Ministry officials are yet to visit the area to convince the locals. The locals have been losing their land in the name of different infrastructure projects that also pose serious threats to historical significance of Khokana,” Bhusal, who was also in the Maoist-led government that approved the project, said. “We are not against infrastructure development, but we have reservation over the practice of planning projects without the participation of local stakeholders.” A ministry official said the government should freeze land in the alignment area to ensure smooth acquisition of land by providing compensation to the locals as per the proposed plan. prabhakarji@gmail.com
Published on 2010-12-14 03:00:24 http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=26151

Outer ring road in limbo

Friday, 26 November 2010 14:08

Share this  Twitter  Myspace  Digg  Del.icio.us  Slashdot  Furl  Yahoo  Googlize this  Blinklist  Facebook  Wikio Export PDF Print E-mail The government will be annulling the ambitious project of outer ring road if the locals shy away from cooperating with it for acquiring necessary lands. "The project is not completely on the verge of cancellation. But, we will be compelled to withdraw if the works on it fail to commence this year in line with the understanding of the concerned local people," Karobar Daily quoted Dip Basnet, secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, as saying. To commence the project, at least 51 percent people should agree. However, so far, only 14 percent have expressed their consent. According to an assessment report, the proposed ring road will geographically touch 40 Village Development Committees (VDCs), 3 municipalities, 1 sub-municipality and 1 metropolitan city of all the three districts of the Kathmandu valley. Some 7,200 ropains of land will be required for the project. The ministry has been making attempts to make the local people agree to the project since the last seven years but in vain. "Now we cannot wait for more than one year," laments Basnet. Gopi Nath Mainali of National Planning Commission (NPC) also echoed the same voice. "Of course, the outer ring road is a plan of national strategic importance. However, there will no alternative to its annulment if the works cannot begin at all," he said. The Finance Ministry has also decided to reduce the volume of allocation of budget for the project, the estimated cost of which stands at Rs 121.97 billion. The new budget has slashed down the disbursement of budget for the project to Rs 10.95 million in the current fiscal year. Last year, it had earmarked Rs 60 million for the project. According to development infrastructure experts, the Maoists are the major factor responsible for stultifying the project, which was conceptualised for systematic urbanisation. The then Maoist Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami had said that the outer ring road should not be constructed without the consent of Newar community, the ethnic dwellers of the Kathmandu valley. The Maoist-affiliated Newa Rajya Samiti had blocked the land related tasks of the project even though the government had already prepared Detailed Project Report (DPR) in various places to proceed with the construction of outer ringroad.nepalnews.com http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/business-a-economy/11090-outer-ring-road-in-limbo.html#