KATHMANDU, May 12: The government has reiterated its commitment to find sustainable solutions for the landless people at a time when the government is being criticized for its recent eviction drive of the squatter settlements.
Presenting the Policies and Programs of the government in a joint session of parliament on Monday, President Ram Chandra Paudel said the government will adopt measures for proper management and long lasting solution for landless Dalit, squatters and unmanaged settlements.
The government has initiated a major, high-security drive to clear squatter settlements along the Bagmati River in Kathmandu, aiming to replace them with managed, safe housing for genuine landless residents. The operation, targeting areas like Thapathali and Manohara, focuses on urban management, flood safety, and dismantling long-standing unauthorized structures, according to the government.
Applications of 1.2 million landless people collected
In its first phase of evacuating unplanned and vulnerable settlements on the banks of the Bagamati River and its tributaries in the Kathmandu Valley, a total of 2,687 structures (houses and huts) built on the government and public lands were removed. The drive, which began in Thapathali and Gaurigaun, was later carried out in Manohara Area, Kalopul, Balkhu, Bansikhat, Shankhamul, Kalimati, Balaju, Swoyambhu, Gaushala, Dhobhikhola and Kapan.
The government however has been facing criticism that its move is unjust and “self-defeating,” particularly as it involves deploying bulldozers against poor and marginalized communities without alternatives, compensation or proper resettlement—just ahead of the monsoon season. The Supreme Court has also issued an interim order directing the government not to evict or displace squatters and informal settlers from their current locations without following the due legal procedure.
Last year, the then Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel announced plans to provide land to 500,000 landless and squatter families. The government plan was expected to provide a foundation for permanent housing, improve living standards, and promote social inclusion among Nepal's most vulnerable populations.
Like the previous government, the Balen Shah-led government has also put forth its plan to adopt a policy of using modern technology in land surveying. ‘The process of updating records by surveying land using modern technology will be taken forward,’ the policies and programs state.
Similarly, the government has announced implementing a policy of integrating the surveying and land revenue services and expanding the land administration service to all local levels in a phase-wise manner.
