POKHARA, June 8: Pokhara-Lekhnath Metropolis and Pokhara Valley Municipal Development Committee (PVMDC) are jointly preparing to crack down on illegal buildings and buildings constructed in violation of the building code.
Currently, there are around 4,000 such illegal structures in the tourist-hub Pokhara, according to officials. Stating that such illegal structures have badly damaged the beauty of Pokhara, newly-elected mayor of the metropolis Man Bahadur GC and PVMDC's Chairman Sundar Kumar Shrestha have pledged to demolish such structures.
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"They violated the building code in the absence of local bodies' officials. We are determined to take action against such people because we want to hand over a beautiful metropolis to the new generation," said GC.
Lakeside of Pokhara has the highest number of illegal structures. According to technicians of the municipality, Lakeside and Birauta of Pokhara-Lekhnath Metropolis are the areas with weak soil. Keeping this in mind, the metropolis does not authorize construction of huge buildings in these areas.
The authorities allow only two-story buildings not more than 25 feet high in Birauta and Lakeside areas while houses can have up to three stories in other areas of the metropolis.
Currently there are up to eight-story houses in Pokhara and most of them are hotels.
"We know there will be lot of criticism of our move, but after 10 years people will start praising us," said Mayor GC. "We will work in collaboration with the residents of the municipality. We want to protect Pokhara for posterity."
He said some people have been criticizing him when he discussed taking action against illegal structures on the bank of the Phewa Lake. "But I'm not afraid of criticism. I will work as per the law." he added.
