Last modified: 2016-08-08
Abstract
The systematic cadastral survey of Nepal was carried out in1964-98 including assigning the land class, and present land use of each parcel. The pasture, forest, water bodies, rocky areas etc belong to state and private land owner only have agricultural, homestead and planted grass land ( Kharbari).
Land resource mapping of Nepal conducted in 1978-86 to achieve sustainable development, assessment of land resource and reduction of poverty in Nepal developing Land Capability Maps. The summary of the land use of Nepal was 27.21% of agricultural land, 11.55% of pasture land, 38.04 % of forest, 4.68% of shrub and 18.52% of other land(water bodies, snow covered area, rock etc.).
Urban development expedited after 1990s and private agricultural land converted to urban areas and adjoining government land including degraded forest, pasture, open spaces are being converted to shanty towns of about 1 million persons all over Nepal. There urgent need to protect agricultural and forest land and the encroached settlements are required to formalize or relocate people at proper place. Government of Nepal is committed to preserve 40% of Nepal territory as forest and sustainable development.
Government of Nepal revised the Land Related Act 2021 (Para 51. Ng) to conduct land use zoning programme, and promulgated Land Use Policy 2012, which is also revised in 2015 and continued to develop Land Use Zones as per the land capability and present use for public good and sustainable use of land and to assign Land Use Zone to each parcel and record them in Land owner Registration Certificate and concerned legal records.
“Specification for Development of Parcel based Land Use Classification, Database (data model) and Reports, 2015” and TOR of implementation Land Use Zoning are issued for the activities. The present land use, climate, geology, soil, land system, land capability, cadastral map superimposition on land use zoning and land use zoning maps and database are being prepared. Land use zoning maps are finalized and implemented after consultation with local administration and land owners considering environmental impact and risks factors.
In this paper, the methodology, database and pros and cons of the work are briefly described as per the above specifications.