Himal Press 
POKHARA: The Pokhara High Court issued a short-term interim order on Thursday, directing the Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) Office and other authorities not to demolish structures deemed to have encroached on the land of the Pokhara Bus Park area.
A single bench of High Court Judge Tej Narayan Singh Rai issued the order, while hearing a writ petition registered by Pokhara resident Yugen Devi Shrestha Palikhe.
Palikhe had filed the petition seeking a writ of certiorari and mandamus against the District Administration Office, Kaski and the PMC Office, among other defendants. The court has scheduled a hearing on whether to issue an interim order as sought by the defendants for June 9 and directed the defendants to appear before the court for discussions.
Until then, the court has ordered that the house and other physical structures built on Plot No. 46 in Ward-9 of Pokhara, registered in the name of petitioner Palikhe, must not be removed or caused to be removed. The defendants have also been directed to submit written replies within 15 days.
The PMC Office had been making internal preparations to remove the structures on June 8. It earlier issued a public notice regarding the planned demolition drive.
Meanwhile, Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya clarified through a social media post that the court’s preliminary order should not be mistaken for a final verdict.
The PMC Office has already demolished 160 temporary and permanent structures along the Firkekhola stream.
