Kathmandu, 26 April: Squatter settlements in Thapathali, Shantinagar, and Gairigaun in Kathmandu have been cleared peacefully. However, in Manohara, Bhaktapur, locals obstructed authorities when bulldozers were used, leading to clashes. A total of 14 people, including DSP Navaraj Dhungana, chief of the Thimi Police Circle, were injured.
Among the injured are 8 Nepal Police personnel, 5 Armed Police Force personnel, and one photojournalist, Kamal Prasai. The Onlinekhabar.com photojournalist was attacked by locals while taking pictures.
“Obstruction occurred when we attempted to demolish some concrete houses and huts,” said Bhaktapur Police Chief SP Surya Bahadur Khadka. “Since it was already evening, we returned and will resume from Sunday morning.” According to records, 90 households are living in unmanaged settlements in wards 8 and 9 of Kageshwari Manohara Municipality.
The eviction drive in Thapathali, which began at 6 a.m. on Friday, was completed peacefully. Although past attempts in Thapathali had led to clashes and protests, no untoward incidents occurred this time. Authorities had prioritized security management, considering previous experiences, and CCTV cameras were installed just on Friday evening.
Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Ishwar Raj Paudel, said that residents of squatter settlements in both Thapathali and Gairigaun cooperated with the administration’s decision. “Municipal police, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force assisted in moving their belongings,” he said. “Those without alternatives have been taken to Dasharath Stadium, where their details are being recorded.”
A total of 68 families from Thapathali have approached the government, stating they are now without shelter. For the time being, they have been accommodated at the Radhaswami Satsang Nepal building in Kirtipur. The government is also preparing to verify whether those being sheltered are genuine squatters.
According to a 2022 report prepared by the Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, there are 3,496 households living in unmanaged settlements along riverbanks in the Kathmandu Valley. Among them, 2,245 are in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, 90 in Kageshwari Municipality, 156 in Budhanilkantha, 17 in Lalitpur Metropolitan City, and 773 in Bhaktapur Municipality.
After Thapathali, Gairigaun, and Manohara, the administration plans to move on to other squatter settlements. Upon learning about the ongoing eviction drive in Thapathali, squatters in other areas began relocating their belongings.
The United National Squatters Front had urged the government to reconsider its decision, stating that evictions without proper alternatives would violate human rights. Meanwhile, Nepal Police arrested Narayan Pariyar (Parishrami), acting chairperson of the Squatters Front and a UML leader, during the eviction preparations. The Valley Crime Investigation Office also arrested the Front’s General Secretary Aryan Kunwar, advisor Dan Bahadur Karki, and Dinesh Sunar.
