Kirat Rai Yayokkha (KRY), an umbrella organization of Rai, has grabbed about two bighas (1.35 hectares) of the PU´s land. KRY has also fenced the land, which lies to the east of the under-construction building of the PU, with barbed wire. KRY has decided to build a temple of Paruhang and Sumnima, the most revered deities of Rai people, on the land. [break]
"We want to develop this area as a sacred place," said Balram Rai, a local Rai priest. "All Rai people from surrounding villages will throng this place twice a year, on the occasions of Ubhauli and Udhauli, to perform Sakela dance."
Two other ethnic organizations, Kirat Yakthung Chumlung (KYC) and Nepal Tamang Ghedung (NTG) have also grabbed about four bighas (2.70 hectares) of the PU´s land each. According to Rai, KYC and NTG are also planning to develop their respected areas as places of worship.
According to Baghdhan Rai, the president of Indrapur village committee of KRY, local people from Rai community have been using this place for religious rites over the years. "We had a gentleman´s agreement with PU authorities to use this place," he said. "We are allowed to use this place as long as PU does not decide to build anything here."
However, PU authorities expressed ignorance about the local ethnic organizations using the university land. "I don´t know anything about it," said Raj Kumar Thakur, PU registrar.
The government has allocated 805 bighas (545.2 hectares) of land for the PU in Mrigauliya, Sundarpur and Indrapur villages in Morang. The PU, which has its office currently in Biratnagar, had introduced a plan to construct office buildings in 205 bighas (138.84 hectares) of land, demarcating the rest of the land for farming herbs. However, the PU´s plan remains in limbo.
The PU has been criticized for not showing willingness to shift its headquarter to Indrapur.
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