Valley
Supreme Court summons building owner
The Supreme Court has summoned the owner of under construction Maharjan Business Complex within seven days for violating the building norms and asked a dozen government bodies concerned to furnish clarification. A single bench of Justice Anandmohan Bhattarai made the decision on Sunday.The Supreme Court has summoned the owner of under construction Maharjan Business Complex within seven days for violating the building norms and asked a dozen government bodies concerned to furnish clarification. A single bench of Justice Anandmohan Bhattarai made the decision on Sunday.
A group comprising 104 residents, heritage conservationists and local club had filed a contempt of court case in the apex court last month against the MBA and 12 other government bodies for their failure to implement the court’s stay order on the building until next hearing. The next hearing has been scheduled for August 1.
The government bodies that need to submit written clarification are Prime Minister’s Office and Council of Ministers; Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration; Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority; District Administration Office Kathmandu; Kathmandu Metropolitan City; Department of Archaeology; Kathmandu Valley Development Authority; Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward Office-24; Jana Sewa Police Station; Metropolitan Police Office Ranipokhari and Hanuman-dhoka Durbar Square Inspection Office.
The MBA started constructing the building in 2015 after the April 25 earthquake on the right side of the main entrance to Basantapur Durbur Square.
The KMC had instructed the company not to exceed the height of each floor 7.7 feet and 35 feet for the building. A report prepared by engineers of the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA) and the KMC, however, shows each of the floors are over 10.7 feet high and the building is set to stand 42 feet tall.
The locals have been protesting since the MBA crew dug a basement that spreads over 627.98 square metres. The building is being constructed in violation of the Ancient Monument Preservation Act-2013. The Act prohibits construction of underground structure near heritage sites.
A group of people, comprising Public Welfare Forum Chair and Senior Advocate Prakash Mani Sharma, heritage conservation activist Ganapati Lal Shrestha and 17 local groups had filed the case against the MBA in the SC on April 23.