Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot distribute land within national parks and forest areas to landless individuals.
Land ownership in Nepal has historically been concentrated among the powerful, leaving marginalized communities without land titles.
The Forest Act and regulations complicate the government’s efforts to provide land to the landless without violating conservation laws.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was seen as positive by environmental activists, emphasizing that land within protected areas cannot be distributed to squatters.
However, the ruling did not address the eviction of people who have already encroached upon forest or protected area land.
Land ownership remains a contentious issue in Nepal, with a significant portion of land covered by forests.
The government faces challenges in resolving the issue of squatters and landless individuals, especially in rural areas.
While the government plans to allocate land to 500,000 families, it must do so in accordance with the law.
Balancing environmental conservation with people’s rights to land remains a key challenge for the government and the court.
The issue of formal land ownership, housing rights, and environmental protection needs to be addressed in a balanced manner moving forward in Nepal.