The plan of Dhurmus Suntali Foundation to build a model settlement on 1,000 ropanis of land in Mahatagaun Sallaghari Forest Area in Lele, Lalitpur, has landed in a dispute following a protest from some locals, who say the project development could cause environmental disasters like landslides, destruction of wildlife habitat and pollution of water sources, among other things.  

The protesting locals from Lele of Godawari Muncipality-5 has submitted an application to the Lalitpur District Administration Office, appealing for an intervention to stop the project. 

Rupesh Silwal, one of the protesting locals, said the most of the people in Lele rely on forest resources and handing over half of the forest area could spell a disaster for them as well as the natural environment of the area. 

“The people here need firewood and fodder in their everyday life. This agreement does not bode well for the locals,” he said, warning of more protests in the future.

Chief District Officer Deepak Kafle said he was unaware of the agreement between Lele locals and the foundation.

“We have received a complaint application and it does raise some important points about the project that could affect the area and the people living there,” he said.

The controversy started after the foundation on June 17 reached an agreement with local forest users’ group to use the land for the model settlement. Besides the forest users’ group representatives, 144 Lele had also signed the agreement as signatories.  

Sitaram Kattel, co-founder of the foundation, claimed that the protest was led by a small group of locals for vested political interest.

“There is nothing controversial about the project. We have secured the consent of Lele locals as well as the forest representatives to build the settlement. A handful of people who are protesting represent a certain political group and they are acting under political influence,” he said. 

Puskal Mahat, chairperson of the forest users’ group, agrees with Kattel, that the agreement was widely consensual when it was signed.

“Not a single person voiced opposition when the agreement was signed,” he said. “In fact, the people also agreed to allow the foundation to use timbers and stones from the proposed project site in the construction.” 

Milan Silwal, the newly elected ward chairperson of Godawari-5, is also in favour of the foundation building the model settlement.

“The agreement cannot be undone because of a few protesters. We are positive about the settlement and hope for it to become much better version of the three other settlements that the foundation has already built,” he said.