Nepali authorities give illegal occupiers until Friday to vacate public land; squatters announce protest
KATHMANDU, Nepal authorities have issued notices to people living on the banks of Kathmandu rivers and on illegally occupied land, asking them to vacate the area by Friday, even as squatters announced a three-week protest against the demolitions.
The Kathmandu District Management Office issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday as part of beautification and environmental protection efforts.
The notice said that from 7 a.m. on Friday, authorities will demolish illegal structures on public land or river banks.
Earlier last week, the federal government in coordination with Kathmandu City demolished temporary and permanent structures constructed by landless squatters in Thapatali, Garigaoun, Sinamangarh and Manohara areas on the banks of Bagmati river.
In the demolition operation, thousands of security personnel were mobilized and more than 1,500 settlements belonging to landless settlers were demolished.
The government has identified around 900 displaced families and temporarily shifted them to different hosting areas, including Dasharath Stadium, various huts in Kirtipur and Balaju districts.
Kathmandu city officials said that after a review of landless settlers, alternative resettlement facilities will be provided to genuine landless settlers.
The landless squatters complained that the government demolished their settlements within a short period of time without arranging proper facilities for them.
The All Nepal Landless Squatters Association, affiliated to the Nepal Communist Party, has announced a two-phase nationwide protest plan against the government’s move to demolish illegal structures.
Their protest plans include public meetings, rallies, signature drives starting on May 3, and a nationwide indefinite general strike starting on May 21.
Under the three-week protest plan, they will also launch a nationwide signature campaign calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, claiming that he is working against the interests of ordinary people.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
