Sudurpashchim faces hurdles to establish permanent capital

By Abinash Chaudhary, Dhangadhi, Dec. 17: The first provincial government of Sudurpashchim has failed to establish its permanent capital. Since the land chosen to construct infrastructures to house the provincial government in the proposed capital city is owned by the central government, the provincial government led by Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatta has failed to receive the usufruct rights for the land.

On September 28, 2018, the provincial assembly, with majority, had declared the forest area in wards 2 and 4 of Godawari Municipality in Kailali district as the permanent capital of the province. 

As per the decision, the capital is surrounded by the Nepali Army barrack at Teghari in the north, Godawari-Dhangadhi-Dadeldhura road in the west, Godawari River in the east, and Godawari Bazaar in the south.

However, the provincial government has been unable to start the process of constructing the capital city despite taking the mandate by the provincial assembly.The reason? The decided region for the capital is a forest area, which can be used for other purpose only after the decision from the cabinet of the federal government.

“However, the federal government did not give the rights to use the land even four years after the provincial assembly took the decision to set up the permanent capital. Without the permission, the provincial government could do nothing,” said Kulananda Upadhyaya, Attorney General of the province.

Meanwhile, two writs were also filed at the Supreme Court after the provincial government decided Godawari of Kailali as its capital.“The writs were filed separately by Doti’s Manish Kumar Shrestha and Devi Kumari Joshi against the decision in 2019,” said Upadhyaya.

The cases were then overseen by the constitutional bench of the apex court. However, no decision has been made over the cases yet. “The court had given the date of December 7, 2022, for the cases. However, the constitutional bench of the apex court did not convene,” said Upadhyaya.

Nevertheless, the court cases were not an obstruction for the provincial government to start the process of establishing the capital city in Godawari.“The major reason for the inability of the provincial government to move forward was the lack of permission from the federal government to make use of the forest land,” Upadhyaya stressed.

Meanwhile, locals of Godawari, who were on cloud nine four years ago when the capital city was decided, are now in dismay since the process has been mired in controversy.“We were euphoric when the provincial government decided to establish its capital in Godawari because it was the decision of the majority. It has been four years since, but now the ecstasy has given way to disappointment,” said Yagya Bahadur Mahara, chairman of Ward No. 2 of Godawari.

According to Mahara, locals keep questioning about the progress to establish the capital city there.However, the locals are still optimistic.“The first government could not construct its capital city. We believe that the new government will be able to go ahead with the task,” said Hem Prakash Malla, chairman of Ward No. 4.