The government has started to pull down hundreds of huts, houses and other constructions on the banks of the Bagmati river in the Capital from Tuesday in a latest demolition drive to evict thousands of landless squatters from illegal shanty towns in Kathmandu.

Hundreds of irate squatters clashed with the riot police  in Sukumbasi basti (shanties) of Thapathali and Teku area from where the demolition drive started today as part of the latest development plan of the government to make Kathmandu “beautiful and habitable”.

Government bulldozers tore down the illegally built huts and houses in the illegal settlement even as squatters threatened to kill themselves if they are evicted from their houses where some of them have been living for over four decades.

The situation turned violent as the squatters pelted stones to block five government bulldozers from destroying their houses and belongings while hundreds of police mobilized for the eviction responded with baton charge and tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

Dozens of squatters as well as policemen have been injured in the clash.
Police also arrested scores of squatters who threw stones and bottles at policemen as bulldozers started to demolish number of buildings to clear a large area.

Squatters had been preparing for the worst since January this year when the Supreme Court ruled against the squatters.

Without offering any alternative accommodation and relocation plan, the government announced in the newspapers that the eviction will take place by giving three-month rent to the squatters.

Authorities believe that there are more than 50 squatters’ settlements with an estimated population of over 25,000 in various spots along the Bagmati river in Kathmandu, but independent reports say swathes of public land along the river have suffered massive encroachments after 1990. They say such settlements could be in more than 75 different spots in Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, the government officials have said they have all but completed the verification of squatters at Thapathali and Teku and have decided to provide Rs 15,000 to each household of “genuine squatters” as immediate relief.

The government has also purchased about eight ropani of land at Ichangu Narayan Village Development Committee in Kathmandu to build apartments for the “genuine squatters”. nepalnews.com

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