KATHMANDU, July 11: As floodwaters receded from the Radha Soami Beas holding center in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, squatters who had been promised safety were left picking through layers of mud to recover their soaked belongings. Clothes, utensils, food supplies, and daily essentials lay scattered after the shelter itself became inundated—the very disaster they were relocated to escape.
The families staying at the holding center were forced to flee in panic around midnight on Friday after floodwaters from the swollen Bagmati River entered the premises while they were asleep.
The squatters, who had been living at the center for three months after receiving government assurances of permanent relocation within 15 days, said they were left feeling abandoned and betrayed.
While pulling his flood-soaked clothes and utensils out of the mud, Bir Bahadur Chepang, one of the affected residents, accused the government of treating them inhumanely.
Govt moved squatters to ‘safer’ shelter to escape floods; the s...
“We also have the right to live. We are not animals,” he said. “We had not occupied anyone’s land. The government brought us here saying it would provide us with a safe place, but instead dumped us right in the path of floods.”
Floodwaters began entering the holding center at around 12:40 am on Friday night, catching residents off guard. Children, elderly people, and those suffering from chronic illnesses were among the most vulnerable as they struggled to escape through the rising water.
Several residents suffering from heart disease, kidney problems, asthma, and pneumonia are also staying at the shelter. They said the cold and damp conditions following the flooding have worsened their health problems.
The flood destroyed food supplies, clothes, and other essential belongings of the squatters. Holding her grandchildren close, Maiya Maya Danuwar broke down in tears while recounting the night of terror.
“We barely saved our lives, but all our belongings were buried in mud. No one came for rescue until 3 AM. Now we do not even have a grain of rice to feed the children or slippers for them to wear,” she said.
Three months ago, the government demolished their riverside settlements and relocated them to the temporary shelter, saying the move was necessary to protect them from floods. However, residents accused authorities of shifting them to another flood-prone area despite knowing that the location gets inundated even during normal rainfall.
They also alleged that security personnel prevented them from leaving the shelter or meeting their relatives, making them feel as if they were being confined against their will.
Another resident, Ram Kumar Pariyar, questioned the government’s intention while clearing mud from his belongings.
“Balen Shah (the prime minister) had said we were brought here to protect us from floods, but he ended up bringing us into the flood itself,” he said. “It feels like we were intentionally kept at this flood-prone location, assuming they would leave after the water entered.”
The squatters have grown increasingly frustrated as three months have passed without any permanent relocation plan. Meanwhile, a government representative involved in managing the shelter admitted there had been technical shortcomings and said arrangements were being made for food, bedding, and healthcare.
However, with the monsoon continuing and no clear guarantee of permanent shelter or compensation, affected families fear their hardship may continue.
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