Govt readies to force squatters out
After the three political parties agreed to evict ‘landless’ squatters from the banks of the Bagmati, Bishnumati, Manohara, Hanumante and Dhobikhola rivers, the government taskforce responsible for removing illegal settlements along the banks has been emboldened to begin the demolition of their settlements. As part of the Bagmati Action Plan, the government wants to develop the drainage system and build roads and a greenbelt on the banks. However, the Patan Appellate Court has issued a stay order until Sunday. It is very likely that the demolition would begin sometime next week after the court issues a final verdict or its stay order expires. But the issue isn’t without controversy. The government has made no proper alternative arrangements to house the squatters, who themselves are defiant. Though investigations have shown that many families living on the river banks pretend to be landless, there are some genuine squatters. Out of an estimated 23,000 people living as squatters throughout the Kathmandu Valley, around 1,300 are likely to be removed in the first phase. Binod Ghimire and Nirjana Sharma spoke to three stakeholders to get a clearer picture on the issue and whether the removal will actually take place.
‘Evacuation must to implement Bagmati Action Plan’
Mahesh Bahadur Basnet
Chief of High Power Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilisation and also the coordinator of a taskforce formed to evict squatters
When are you evicting the squatters?
We were for initiating the process from Wednesday but the stay order from the Patan Appellate Court halted our plan. It has summoned all stakeholders on December 11 and we are hopeful that the court will not bar us as the Supreme Court has already issued a verdict in our favour in April this year. The apex court had directed the government to stop the encroachment of river banks. The court’s verdict should not affect the government’s ambitious Bagmati Action Plan.
So are you considering using force to remove settlers?
The 17-member taskforce formed in the presence of Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar is prepared to implement the plan. Around 3,000 police personnel from both the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force are on standby and we would do our utmost to minimise casualties.
Squatters blame that the plan was prepared without proper study or coordination with them.
We were never in favour of using force against them. But efforts for the last three years to resolve it peacefully went in vain. We are now left with no alternative but to do whatever is necessary to remove them. As our plan of constructing a drainage system, treatment plant, green belt and roads on river banks could not move ahead due to the squatters’ settlements, their eviction is a must. We have already awarded a contract worth Rs 230 million, but the project has not gone ahead because of the settlements.
Without an alternative arrangement, where will the squatters go?
Though it is not our duty to relocate them, we have recommended the Prime Minister’s Office to manage an alternative for them. A majority of the people living there are not real squatters. Hence, only a few people really need government support.
‘Relocate us and give us home, employment’
Dipak Rai, Chairman
Alliance of five squatters’ organisations
The second deadline to leave the river banks has expired. Are you preparing to leave at all?
Our issue has always been put on the back burner due to the government’s reluctance to address our problems. Therefore, we do not have another option to an agitation. We are protesting for long and will come with more ways to press the government. Our demand is clear that we want better alternative settlements in the Capital itself. We will protest until our demands are met.
Aren’t you demanding too much? Not all of the settlers are genuine squatters.
It is not our responsibility to identify genuine and fake squatters. It is our understanding that one who has a better house will never come to live a life in the slum. The main problem is poverty. If the government provides income generating opportunities we are ready to leave any time.
In the past, KMC had provided houses in Kirtipur for squatters residing on the banks of the Bishnumati river. But most of them let out their houses only to return to live on the river banks again. The government did not provide sources of income at that time and people had nothing to eat, though they had new houses. So they were compelled to let out the house and return to the slums. We demand employment for one member of each family and a home.
There are multi-storey buildings coming up on the river banks. How could they afford it if they were genuinely poor?
Humans are greedy by nature. Some of them living in the slums have worked hard and saved money to be able to build these houses.
‘We can’t do anything unless they help us’
Sarita Maskey
Senior divisional engineer, Department of Urban Development and Building Construction
Where is the relocation plan?
Despite minimum resources at our disposal, we are working out a plan to relocate the urban poor for the last three years, but they have not been very cooperative. Whatever they may say publicly, in truth they do not want to leave the banks. So there is very little we can do.
Around 5.5 ropanies of land have been purchased in Icchangu Narayan to shift the squatters. Though it is not adequate, we can adjust some 75 houses there. But we cannot drag them. As I said, the alternatives cannot be worked out without their cooperation. In addition, there is no clear strategic plan for their management for which study is going on, which will probably get endorsed within a short time.
But the annual budgets allocated for the slum management have been frozen for the last three years.
Around Rs 50 million was released last year, half for land and half for building construction. As there is no use of building houses unless they agree to shift to new places, the allocated budget has been left unused. This year, Rs 30 million has been allocated for land and the same amount for building construction. We hope this will help us, though it is not adequate.
How will you identify the genuine squatters from the rest?
There is a need of a new commission for resolving the problems of the landless squatters.
Posted on: 2011-12-08 07:34
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All of them discussed the issue. The result was the same...and we have committed to continue discussions on the issue till midnight.
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