The embezzlement of government land in Baluwatar has heated up the market. The involvement of high-ranking politicians and employees in the abuse of government land at Lalita Niwas was discovered. The suspects in the embezzlement case have been under investigation. Despite the interest on the Lalita Niwas case has heightened, the Nepal Children's Organization popularly known as Bal Mandir’s land in Naxal, Kathmandu, has been occupied by a corporate group for decades. Vishal Group has been occupying over 28 ropani land of Bal Mandir for about 30 years by exerting pressure and influence on the organization and state officials. The Vishal Group, which is owned by Indian-origin merchants, has occupied the land while the monarchy was still in place. The Group is exploiting the land despite the fact that it has been more than 15 years after the toppling of the king in Nepal and the foundation of a republic was laid. The group, which has been exploiting the land for decades by paying minimal rent.
Brihaspati Vidya Sadan, which had leased the land till 2132 B.S., had unlawfully subleased it to Rai School. The Vishal Group owns the vast majority of these institutions.
Vishal Group leased the organization's land for nominal price but has been charging others exorbitant rent. In 2049 B.S., the group rented the property for the first time. Since then, the group has increasingly intensified land exploitation by influencing state officials at all levels. During the tenure of the organization's then-president, Rita Singh Vaidya, the organization obtained custody of the land under Bal Mandir. Singh is also the daughter of Congress politician Ganesh Man Singh.
In Nepal Children's Organization, the president is usually chosen by convention or by political appointment. After ousting the then president of the organization, Rita Singh, on 12 Shrawan 2077, for misappropriation of the land, the KP Sharma Oli-led government nominated Vidya Upadhyay Neupane as president. Singh was the organization's head for 30 years. Vishal Group has gained custody of almost 29 ropani of land out of the 119 ropani of land under the organization's name.
Vishal Group has proposed Purushottamraj Joshi in the name of Brihaspati Vidya Sadan to acquire the land. Brihaspati Vidya Sadan was founded by Joshi. Brihaspati is a school that is largely owned by Vishal Group, one of the nation's largest commercial conglomerates. The Vishal Group owns 28 Ropani, which was granted to the organization for the purpose of running the organization. Vishal Group founded a private school called Brihaspati Vidyasadan in order to acquire the property. The school leased the grounds of the children's group in Naxal. Purushottamraj Joshi was the founder of Brihaspati Vidyasadan school. But the Joshi family has only a modest stake in the school, with the Vishal Group owning the majority of the stock.
This is how the land was usurped
On 27 Magh 2049, the group signed a leasing deal for 9 ropani of land. The first agreement lasted three years, from 1 Falgun 2049, to1 Falgun 2052. The agreement stated that neither party may terminate the arrangement, although it might be extended when the agreement time expired. The organization and Brihaspati then reached another deal in 2053.
The contract states that Brihaspati will lease the property for eight years beginning in 2053. After obtaining the right to utilize the organization's land until 10 Magh 2061, it was decided that Vidyasadan would pay a monthly fee of 1 lakh 50 thousand rupees for 9 ropani every three months, with an annual rise of 10%.
The second contract term ran till 10 Magh 2061. Vishal Group has inked a third renewal deal for another 30 years in 2058 to acquire the land. Brihaspati now has the right to construct a massive structure on the leased property as a result of this arrangement. Brihaspati appears to have obtained the right to utilize over 14 ropani of land belonging to the organization until 2088, and another 13 ropani of land in 2059.
It appears that in 2072, the two sides reached an additional agreement that extended the duration once again. With extending the lease duration to 2132 years, the group also acquired 28 ropani and 5 annas of land, according to this agreement. The organization was founded in 2021 when the then-royal family donated the property for better cause. The Nepal Lalitkala Pragya Foundation was provided with 49 ropani lands out of the entire 102 ropani lands, while 51 ropani of land is solely owned by the organization. Vishal Group has usurped 28 and a half ropani of the land owned by the organization.
Innocent or protection of the state?
Nepal Children's Organization operates 11 orphanages around the country for children who do not have parents or guardians. The largest children's home is in Naxal, Kathmandu which is close to the organization's headquarters. The orphanage has provided sanctuary to 70 females. Currently, the organization's primary source of income is rent from land leases. However, property lease agreements signed in conjunction with then-officials and commercial houses, contractors, dealers, and diverse organizations are unlawful and disgusting. A committee was also constituted to look into the land dispute.
The government established a high-level inquiry commission to investigate the activities of the organization, ranging from renting land to trades for last 60 years looking for misuse of assets, financial irregularities, law violations, and so on. According to the high-level investigative commission's findings, when the property was leased to Brihaspati Vidyasadan, the agreements were reached immediately without the procedures of public notice, speech, and advertising. It was determined that the choice to lease the property to Brihaspati was done on an ongoing basis that violated the broad norms of financial discipline and openness. Following a thorough examination, the authorized authority suggested that action must be taken against the then-leadership of the organization as well as the director of Brihaspati. The findings of the high-level inquiry committee, which determined that the deal violated the law, has not yet been made public.
If the government was ready to take some action, it could have adopted the report three years earlier and overturned the decision to provide the land of Bal Mandir to the businessman. Measures might be adopted to penalize the wrongdoers and demoralize the demands of commercial companies that wish to use the property in perpetuity. In contrast, administration has kept the commission's conclusions under wraps, refusing to make the report public.
Land lease agreement reached in a malicious manner: President Neupane
Vidya Upadhyay Neupane, President of Nepal Children's Organization, claims that the former leadership reached the property lease arrangement in a selfish and dishonest manner. According to her, the agreement states that Brihaspati Vidyasadan can re-lease the land obtained to other party. Brihaspati is earning money by renting the land to Rai School administration under the same arrangement. Brihaspati Vidyasadan has subleased the site to Rai School for much more than just one lakh rupees that was displayed, she added.
Not only in Naxal, but other lands under the organization are exploited by various businessmen. According to Neupane, land in Teku, Jawalakhel, Bhaktapur and other places have also been leased to various businesses at very low rates.
