PADT seeks clear demarcation of Pashupati temple in area map

Published On: June 21, 2019 04:00 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, June 21: Officials at the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) have complained of dilly-dallying by the land revenue and survey office in demarcating Pashupatinath temple in the land survey map of the area.

PADT Member Secretary Pradip Dhakal complained about their struggle for demarcating the temple area in the map during a parliamentary committee meeting on Thursday. “It could come as a surprise to many but we don't yet have any land ownership certificate for Pashupati temple,” Dhakal said at the committee meeting. “Though we have written multiple times to the offices concerned, asking for the land ownership certificate, we have not received it yet.”

Following complaints from the trust officials, the National Concern and Coordination Committee of the National Assembly has directed the Ministry of Land Reform and Management to address their demand .

“The committee has directed the ministry concerned to demarcate the area of the sacred temple and provide a land ownership certificate at the earliest,” said Dilkumari Rawal Thapa, chairperson of the committee.

According to PADT Executive Director Ramesh Upreti, the trust office has approached the land revenue and survey offices at Chabahil and Dillibazar at least four times in this connection. “We received a positive response only to our last follow up two months ago,” said Upreti.

The upper house committee had summoned officials of the PADT and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to inquire about the trust property in cash and kind and management issues.

Officials at the trust informed the parliamentary panel that land that the trust owns at various prime locations in Kathmandu has been leased out and the rates have been nominal because of antiquated land revenue evaluations for land belong to the trust. PADT has leased its land to various corporate offices for commercial purposes.

The parliamentary committee has directed PADT and the government to carry out a timely review of the land lease rates . The trust has 1,862 ropani of land at various place, said the trust officials. The committee has also directed PADT to update its property holdings in cash and kind and make this public .

Meanwhile the upper house committee has also directed PADT to better manage stray animals and the deer in the Mrigasthali area, in coordination with Kathmandu Metropolitan City.