KATHMANDU, Jan 13: The squatters living on the banks of the Bagmati River in Thapathali have said that they are ready to leave their current settlement if there is an arrangement for living elsewhere.

Suman Chaudhary, living as a squatter on the bank of the river for more than two decades, stated that he was ready to leave the Bagmati river bank if the government gave him an option of living elsewhere.

“If there is another arrangement, who would want to live here as a squatter?” he questioned, “If the government had made arrangements elsewhere, it would have been easier for us to leave this place.”

Gopal Poudel, living in the squatters’ settlement for a long time, also agrees with Chaudhary. He asked, “Not only me, most of the people of the slum are ready to move from here, but where and how will they move us without any arrangement?”

Birendra Thapaliya, spokesperson for the Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee said that they are studying for the relocation of the squatters’ settlement on the bank of the Bagmati River in Thapathali. “Until some time ago, they (squatters) were not ready to leave the current location, but now we have found that they are ready to move to another place,” he said. He also said that discussions are ongoing for this. 

"Discussions have progressed, but no conclusion has been drawn as ministers have not been appointed to the respective ministries," he said. He informed that preparations are being made for a briefing as soon as the new minister arrives.

Nahendra Khadka, vice chairperson and spokesperson for the National Land Commission, complained that there was no coordination with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City for the management of squatters on the bank of the Bagmati River. “The work of tax collection and verification has progressed at all local levels across the country. But the Kathmandu metropolis has not advanced the work,” he said.

Two weeks ago, the metropolis had requested assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs to remove the Thapathali squatters’ settlement. But the Ministry of Home Affairs replied that there will be no eviction until necessary discussions, coordination and prior preparations are made. The home ministry made it clear that the settlement cannot be removed by breaching the due process.

Naveen Manandhar, the spokesperson for the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, said that according to the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the city has not taken any immediate steps. He informed that the metropolis will proceed with its work only after discussion with the Ministry of Home Affairs. Spokesperson Manandhar said that the taxes of Thapathali squatters’ settlement have been collected time and time again but the Land Commission has not completed the management work.

Thapaliya, the spokesperson of the Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, says that the data collected five months ago does not cover the issue of how many people are landless and unorganized. He said that the committee has collected data on the household to see how many people there are in the settlement for internal purposes. He said that the committee is in the process of discussing and negotiating with representatives of squatters, National Land Commission and  Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

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