KATHMANDU, April 9: The government has barred transaction of Lalita Niwas land at Baluwatar on the ground that it was acquired through various machinations.

The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation banned transactions in the land after concluding that a group of erstwhile owners, land revenue officials and the 'land mafia' had managed to lay hands on 114 ropani of the land in questionable fashion.

“As per a decision of the Cabinet, the Dillibazaar Land Revenue Office has been instructed to take immediate action,” said ministry spokesperson Janak Raj Joshi. “As mentioned in the decision, Lalita Niwas land and land there registered in the names of other individuals have been barred from transactions.”

A preliminary study conducted by the government shows irregularities while registering ownership of the land.

The restriction on transaction applies to land including that owned by Bhatbhateni Super Market and land being used by the NRN association for building its headquarters. It has already come to light that both Bhatbhateni and the NRN association procured the controversial land from the family of then prime minister Subarna Shumsher Rana and the land mafia. The Rana family had already relinquished the land to the government against due compensation.

According to a probe panel headed by former Secretary Sharada Prasad Trital, of the total Lalita Niwas land acquired by the government from the Rana family during the Panchayat era , 113 ropani 3 aana ended up back in their hands and they sold the land to others. The remaining 12 ropani seven aana two paisa was distributed during the Panchayat era and another 3 ropani 12 aana three paisa was donated to Pashupati Tikinchha Guthi.

The government decided to register the land in its own name a month ago.

The Central Investigation Bureau is investigating the matter to trace who were responsible for deflecting the government-owned land.

 
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