Land disputes stall final phase of Rs51 billion Rani Jamara Kulariya irrigation project

The Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project, a national pride initiative in far-western Nepal, faces a critical impasse in its final phase. Land acquisition disputes and a lack of assured funding have halted progress, prolonging a decades-long wait for farmers who depend on the project for year-round irrigation.

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around half of the affected landowners have agreed to provide land, while the rest continue to oppose the project, preventing authorities from completing the compensation process.

While the first two phases are largely complete, the crucial third phase, intended to irrigate an additional 17,500 hectares, remains on hold. The primary obstacle lies in Ghodaghodi Municipality-2, where residents refuse to surrender their land. They argue that the canal's alignment was altered without their consent, and the revised route threatens productive farmland.

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If the current situation continues, completing the project within the target deadline will become increasingly difficult.

Project officials state that while compensation has been determined for some landowners, a significant portion continues to oppose the project, preventing the completion of the compensation process. Local representatives confirm that discussions with district authorities have failed to resolve the residents' concerns. The dispute is not solely about compensation but centers on the canal's alignment, with residents advocating for an upper route that would benefit more farmers and avoid dividing the village. Project engineers, however, maintain that the current alignment was approved after examining various alternatives.

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We are not against development. In 2018, it was agreed that the canal would pass above the Chure Conservation Area. But only after our land was frozen last December did we learn that the canal would instead pass through the middle of our village.