KATHMANDU: Home Minister Sudan Gurung has claimed that he and his business partners were deceived by landowners in the land lease case involving the lakeside area of Phewa Lake in Pokhara.
In a statement issued through his secretariat on Monday, Gurung said the landowners had concealed the actual status of the land while leasing it to them. His clarification came after it emerged that the land he had leased falls within the restricted zone of Phewa Lake, where authorities have begun removing structures following an order from the Supreme Court.
Gurung said the landowners had assured them that the land did not fall within the 65-metre boundary set for the lake area and that the land ownership certificate also showed it as safe for use. Around eight to ten years ago, Gurung and two other young entrepreneurs had planned to operate an adventure tourism business named “Adventure Sports Nepal” on the lakeside.
He said the group had started the project with significant investment and ambitions to build something within the country. However, after learning from the municipality that the land actually fell within the restricted boundary, he said the construction and investment were halted on ethical grounds.
Gurung added that he would now pursue legal action against the landowners, stating that the investors had been misled. His response comes amid criticism on social media after reports surfaced linking him to land within the protected area of Phewa Lake.
Comment