Chitwan: Disregarding a Supreme Court (SC) order and frequent protests by locals, a medical college situated in a forest area of archeological importance here is yet to move elsewhere.

Over one and a half decade ago, the SC had ordered the College of Medical Science, Bharatpur to move out of the Bageshwari forest area of Chitwan, saying that the area occupied by the college needs to be excavated. The locals have also been agitating, demanding the college be shifted from the forest area.

However, the college has so far turned a deaf ear to the SC order and the locals´ demand. Consequently, the Department of Archeology is still unable to start excavation in the Bageshwari forest area.

While issuing the order on 29 April 1996, the SC had criticized the government for providing the forest land to the college saying that the government is responsible for preserving archeologically important heritage sites.

The government had provided 28 hectares of forest area to the college in February 1994 on 49-year lease. But the government decision was overturned by the SC in May 1996 after petition by the stakeholders.

Locals have been organizing protest programs demanding that the college be moved away from the archeologically important Bageshwari forest. The college has so far ignored eight written requests by the District Forest Office, Chitwan to vacate the area.

Interestingly, just three years ago, the Ministry of Forests disregarding the SC ruling signed a new agreement with the college to provide the land.

After repeated protests by locals, the local administration ordered the college to leave the area by October-end, but the college has so far ignored the order.

A struggle committee formed by members of Devghat Area Development Committee, Bageshwari Adhyatmik Parishad and Jaldevi Community Forest Consumer Committee have been agitating since May demanding the relocation of the medical college.

source: republica,25 Dec 2012