[June, 2010] The Supreme Court today issued a directive to the government to protect public lands in Kathmandu Valley. A division bench of Justices Top Bahadur Magar and Mohan Prakash Sitaula issued the directive to government authorities in response to a Public Interest Litigation filed by a group of advocates representing Pro Public. The bench directed government authorities including the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet and the Department of Land Reforms and Management to protect 1,859 ropani public land in Kathmandu Valley from ‘land mafias,’ mentioned in the report prepared by Ram Bahadur Rawal, a former government secretary. The report has suggested that the government take necessary steps to protect these lands.