Land classification stalled in eight darchula local levels due to delay in land use zoning

Darchula: Land classification has come to a halt in eight out of nine local levels of Darchula district as they have yet to finalize their land use zoning.

According to Tikendra Singh Dhami, Chief of the Darchula Survey Office, only Naugad Rural Municipality has completed land use classification and submitted its report. As per Rule 5 of the Land Use Regulations 2079, local Land Use Councils are required to classify land based on the Land Use Act 2076 and submit their reports to the Land Revenue and Survey Offices by mid-Asad 2082.

“Despite the government’s directives issued two years ago, eight local levels have not yet classified land use areas, causing inconvenience to service seekers,” said Dhami.

Among them, Mahakali Municipality, Shailyashikhar Municipality, Lekam Rural Municipality, and Malikarjun Rural Municipality have reached the final stages of the classification process. Deepak Raj Joshi, Chief Administrative Officer of Lekam Rural Municipality, said their report is ready for submission.

The delay has directly affected the public, as land transactions and divisions have been suspended in the absence of land use zoning. “I have not been able to sell or divide my land due to the halt in land classification,” said Keshav Dutta Joshi, a local resident of Lekam.

Under the Land Use Regulations 2079, Nepal’s land is categorized into ten types: agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, mining and mineral, forest, river/stream/lake/wetland, public use, cultural and archaeological significance, and other areas as specified by the government. The rules prohibit subdividing land without proper classification.

The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation is responsible for preparing detailed maps and data for each local level, taking into account geography, land capacity, and local needs.