It was long believed that Great Britain had gifted the property owned by Embassy of Nepal in London. Now, it has come to light that Nepal had paid a hefty sum for the Victorian-era building in the heart of London.

The UK government was paid 400,000 Pound Sterling as non-refundable premium by Nepal government in October 1980, when the property’s lease agreement was renewed for another 99 years. 

Many were of the belief that the embassy at the Kensington Palace Garden was gifted to Nepal in recognition of the contribution of Nepalese Gurkhas to the British military in the mid-1930s. In their writ petition filed recently against government intention to sell the mission building in the Supreme Court, the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) had said the property was a gift. The Supreme Court had stayed the government move to sell the mission property in April, after GAESO’s application.

However, a 22-page document received by THT clearly states that the property was attained on lease, for which Nepal had paid a hefty premium. It is also paying nominal lease. 

As per the agreement signed by then Ambassador to Britain Jhanendra Narayan Singh and Patric Sydney Bolshaw, a representative authorised by the Crown Estate Commissioner on October 9, 1980, Nepal needs to pay 500 pounds annually for the first 25 years, 1,000 pounds annually for the next succeeding 25 years, 1,500 pound annually for another 25 years and 2,000 pounds annually for the remaining period. 

Besides, Nepal needs to bear the costs of repair and maintenance and private roads and the lights of the Victorian-era building, which was constructed between 1863 to 1865.

In its report, the High Level Committee formed by the erstwhile Baburam Bhattarai-led government to recommend whether to sell or maintain the dilapidated building, also emphasized the premium amount and suggested that the UK government could ask for millions of pound as premium in 2079, when it is time to renew the lease agreement.

But, Major (retired) Dambar Ghale, coordinator of the Civil Campaign for Protection of the Embassy Building, formed by the Non-Resident Nepalese Association-UK Chapter, states that the lease could not have been such a minimum if it was not a gift from British royalty. According to him, the current annual lease amount of the building could be over one million UK pounds. He charged that some greedy people in the government and in political circles were trying hard to sell the building for the sake of hefty commissions, showing the building’s dilapidated condition, instead of repairing it as per the agreement.

“We are ready to collect the necessary money for maintenance of the embassy building. Around one-and-a-half lakh Nepali people in the UK are ready to donate,” he told THT over phone. “But, our money should not be misused.”

Published on: 30 June 2013 | The Himalayan Times