Supreme Court Ruling: Delimitation of Sardu Watershed Area to Halt Land Mafia Activities

The Supreme Court, on Chaitra 12, has officially designated 348 Bigha 5 Kattha 15 Dhur of land within the Sardu watershed area as watershed land, invalidating illegal land transactions conducted by land mafias in collusion with land revenue and surveying offices. Following this verdict, a registration process involving approximately 10,000 families across 4,000 households in Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City has been halted, causing significant tension.

Chaitra 27, Sunsari — With the Supreme Court’s recognition of the Sardu watershed area, a concrete and authoritative basis has been established to end the exploitation and manipulations of the land mafia active within the watershed region. Sardu serves as the primary source of drinking water for Dharan, where land mafias had been extensively involved in corrupt activities. More than 15 legal cases concerning the watershed land progressed through district and high courts to the Supreme Court. On Chaitra 12, the full bench annulled references dating back approximately 24 years, resolving all issues definitively.

The full bench of Supreme Court Justices Saranga Subedi, Tek Prasad Dhungana, and Balkrishna Dhakal has confirmed the establishment of Sardu watershed land and ruled in favor of protecting the watershed. The full text of the verdict is yet to be released.

According to Haribahadur Karki, coordinator, and Tikaram Rai, co-coordinator of the “Baadgara 9 K, Ghopa 7 and Ng Rokka Fukuwa and Sardu Watershed Delimitation Initiative Committee,” the Supreme Court has issued a prohibition order on 348 Bigha 5 Kattha 15 Dhur of land located in various plots of Baadgara 9 (Kh, Ga, Gha, Nga, and Cha) and 7 sections of Ghopa, dismissing the related cases.

Coordinator Karki stated, “This Supreme Court ruling plays a decisive role in stopping the activities and schemes of land mafias. No one will be able to claim illegal rights anymore. The court has completely declared illegal the illicit land purchases and sales carried out in collusion with land revenue, surveying officials, and some political leaders, thereby confirming the watershed. This is a major victory for Dharan.”