KATHMANDU, Dec 6: Minister for Land Management, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation Padma Kumari Aryal on Thursday said that the proposed Integrated Land Act (ILA)’s sole objective was to stop the misuse of the land under the Guthi Corporation. 

During a meeting with representatives of a joint struggle committee against the Guthi bill, Aryal said that the bill would not have any impact on the property belonging to private Guthis. 

“The ILA would recognize the private Guthi’s property. Its main focus is to manage the land owned by the Guthi Corporation,” said Aryal, adding that the property belonging to the private Guthis will remain theirs.  

Minister Aryal said this in response to warning by representatives of various Guthis against including any provision that could affect the Guthi system. They had urged the government to take all sides into confidence before introducing the bill. 

“We will cooperate if the bill favors people’s rights. Otherwise we would be forced to take to the street,” said Maheshman Shakya, a coordinator of the struggle committee. 

The government is working to bring an integrated land act that would have jurisdiction also over the Guthi lands after its initial plan to introduce Guthi Bill had to be aborted halfway through the parliament following protests from private Guthis in June.

The ILA would govern all the public and private land including the Guthi-owned land. Over 2000 public Guthis with around 1.45 million ropani [73766.8 hectares] of land are under the Guthi Corporation. Most of the lands have been rented to private business.

Government officials have been pressing for greater scrutiny and regulation of the Guthis. 

But the private Guthis have taken strong exception to the plan, saying it could jeopardize the centuries-old institution that closely tied to community life. The Newars of Kathmandu valley are highly reliant on the Guthis from birth to death.

Minister Aryal said that the government was worried about misuse and mismanagement of various Guthi-owned land.

“The government wants to protect the properties ill-managed by the Guthi Corporation. The people selflessly donated their property to set up the Guthis. But there has been rampant buying and selling of these properties. We don’t even know the real extent of the damage done,” said Aryal. 

The minister, however, clarified that the government would take all sides into confidence before drafting the bill.

 
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