Lakeside demolition drive sparks tension

POKHARA, Feb 22: Locals have obstructed a demolition drive by Pokhara Valley Town Development Committee to remove unauthoritized structures in the Lakeside area here. [break]



The Town Development Committee started the drive by demolishing a part of the Gorkha Green Restaurant, which was erected against the set government standards, on Sunday. Locals are vehemently protesting against the drive.



Locals had jointly protested the move after the Town Development Committee demolished an illegally built staircase of the restaurant that encroached upon public space.



The area remained tense for over an hour as locals surrounded the Committee Chairman Bishwa Prakash Lamichhane, who was at the site ordering demolition with the help of police. Protesting locals assaulted Lamichhane but the Maoist Young Communist League (YCL) cadres brought the situation under control.



The YCL were supporting the demolition saying Lamichhane was “their” man.






Locals put back the broken staircase in place with the help of police after the committee officials left.



Deepak Subedi, the restaurant owner, said he supports the demolition of illegally built structures but alleged that the committee was particularly biased against his restaurant.



"There are many illegal structures in the area," Subedi said. "We support the drive if all other illegal structures are demolished.”