Kathmandu: The Sudurpaschim University is grappling with a significant issue of land encroachment, with as much as 300 bighas of its property being unlawfully occupied.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Vice Chancellor Hemraj Pant revealed that the university’s constituent, Tikapur Multiple Campus, is the victim of this extensive encroachment. Originally, the campus was given 380 bighas of land by the Tikapur Development Committee two decades ago, but it currently controls only 80 bighas due to this encroachment.
The encroachment issue has been attributed to freed kamaiyas and landless squatters who have taken over the land. Vice Chancellor Pant expressed his concerns over the failure to reclaim the land despite numerous appeals to both provincial and federal governments.
In response to the growing issue, the university’s executive council has called for the establishment of a high-level probe commission to address the encroachment and recover the lost land. There are allegations that the squatters have received political protection, complicating efforts to resolve the situation.