Slow work in Rupa Lake restoration irks locals

By Phadindra Adhikari,Lekhnath, Mar. 16:The Rupa Integrated Conservation Development Project aims to develop the Rupa Rural Municipality into an attractive destination in Gandaki Province alongside Pokhara by restoring the Rupa Lake. As part of this goal, the restoration work of Rupa Lake, which is on the brink of extinction, has started but is progressing at a snail's pace. 

The project was initiated by a decision of the Council of Ministers on November 27, 2016, but only 42 per cent of the work has been accomplished so far.

Even though a 10-year timeline aligned with the master plan was set to restore the lake, the acquisition of necessary land for the project remains incomplete. Locals are demanding compensation or release of land that has been withheld for over a decade and a half.

The residents of the affected areas have identified land deemed unnecessary for the project and have requested its release. Of the 1,472 ropanis of land initially withheld, 477 ropanis reserved for the project are yet to be allocated, while compensation totalling Rs. 870 million has been disbursed for around 1,000 ropanis of land.

Hari Prasad Adhikari, coordinator of the Rupa Lake Dam Area Problem Solving Committee, said that despite repeated requests to provide compensation for the necessary land and promptly release the land deemed unnecessary, there has been no response.

"If the project office and the Kaski administration neglect our concerns, we will be forced to protest against the delay. The withholding of land for years has also severely impacted the locals' ability to plot the land, sell their property and sustain their livelihoods," said Adhikari.

Residents of the affected areas have also submitted a memorandum to the Kaski administration on Wednesday. They have also demanded disbursement of the remaining compensation within a month and the release of not required land.

Kali Bahadur Shahi, Chief of the project, said that the construction of the project has been delayed due to a lack of budget and other various procedural bottlenecks.

He said that the project would proceed in phases as per the master plan and various project activities are currently underway. It is planned to construct a 7.8 km paved road in Rupa Rural Municipality within this fiscal year.

There is a master plan to construct a sealed tap weir and an embankment, as well as to build a temple in the middle of the lake to deter debris from entering the upper part of the lake. However, the plan to build a 6.9 km foot track has been halted due to a lack of approval from the forest authorities.

Shahi said that the budget allocated for the project this year is considerably low. “We had planned to carry out work within a budget of Rs. 15 million to Rs.16 million this year, but unfortunately, the budget is insufficient.” The details of the allocated sum include Rs. 7 million for land acquisition, Rs. 50 million for the dam, Rs. 2 million for roads, and Rs. 40 million for soil removal. In addition, Rs. 70 million is still due to be paid to the builders.

Krishna BK, the project's Information Officer, said that it was necessary to distribute compensation for the needed land and hold onto the unnecessary land at the same time, which has caused some complications.

He said that the land not needed for the project would be released soon. However, due to procedural delays and a limited budget, the distribution of compensation has been postponed.

According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), completing the project will require Rs. 4.51 billion. The construction involves building a 6-metre-high, 590-metre-long mud dam and a 45-metre spillway in Rupa Lake. 

It is estimated that upon completion, the lake area will increase from 622 hectares to 682 hectares. The dam construction commenced in the last fiscal year.

The project is expected to significantly impact the lives of stakeholders, boost national income, and enhance the international reputation of this area. By restoring the lake to its original state and developing tourist infrastructure, the project aims to counteract the shrinkage caused by development and encroachment on the shore.