Boundary pillars to be erected around Phewa Lake

POKHARA: In a bid to protect Phewa Lake from ongoing natural degradation and human encroachment, boundary pillars are being installed around the lake.

The Decision Implementation Facilitation Committee, which was formed to enforce a recent Supreme Court verdict, has announced plans to install 155 pillars demarcating the lake’s perimeter.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, who chairs the committee, said installation will begin on Saturday in the presence of representatives from all three tiers of government. He added that remaining tasks under the Supreme Court’s order will be carried out in a phased manner.

According to provincial government officials, a recent survey has accurately mapped the lake. Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said a technical subcommittee conducted a detailed survey of the lake using Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and drone imaging. He added that 40-cm tall underground pillars have been installed on 29 main reference points established during the survey. Around 9,000 control points have been determined based on these main reference points, he added.

“After analyzing 10 years of records from the Division Irrigation Office, Kaski, and reviewing various maps of Phewa Lake, the high flood level has been set at 794.95 meters,” Acharya said. “Using this benchmark, the lake’s surface area has been calculated at 6.343 square kilometers—equivalent to 12,468 ropani (635 hectares)”.

If the 65-meter buffer zone mandated by the Supreme Court is included, the total protected area expands to 7.616 square kilometers, or 14,970 ropani (762 hectares), he added.

In the second phase, local authorities plan to assess land within the defined boundary to determine whether compensation is needed, investigate fraudulent land registrations, evaluate pre- and post-1974 records, and examine existing physical structures.

In June 2023, the Supreme Court issued a writ of mandamus with certiorari, directing the Government of Nepal, Gandaki Province Government and Pokhara Metropolitan City to survey the lake’s condition, establish a 65-meter buffer zone from the high flood level, and prioritize environmental restoration in the surrounding area.