Government Begins Relocating High-Risk Settlements in Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu. The government is set to begin relocating high-risk settlements along the banks of the Bagmati and its tributaries in the Kathmandu Valley from today as part of its second phase.

Minister for Urban Development Sunil Lamsal informed that the second phase of work will commence today, following the relocation of settlements in the Thapathali, Sinamangal-Gairigaun, Shantinagar, and Manohara areas during the first phase.

A joint meeting of various government bodies was held at the Ministry of Urban Development on Thursday to streamline the process. The meeting concluded that the necessary preparations for settlement relocation have been completed.

According to the ministry, to facilitate the relocation of high-risk settlements, residents will be transported by bus to the Dashrath Stadium, which will serve as the primary registration center. Three help desks will be operational at the stadium. The first desk will handle information and data collection, the second will facilitate the filling of self-declaration forms for squatter identification and collection of necessary social details, and the third desk will involve data collection by a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Furthermore, security agencies will assist in the storage and security of belongings that cannot be transported to the holding center, such as wardrobes, tables, and beds. Buses have also been arranged to transport families who do not have shelter or cannot manage their own arrangements to the holding center.

The ministry has also arranged for immediate health services, humanitarian aid, and psychological counseling services. These services will be available at both the primary registration center and the holding center.

Based on the collected details, squatters will be identified and verified. Individuals who are not identified will be sent back from the holding center. Families who are identified will be provided with necessary support for a specified period, and further processes for their resettlement will be initiated.

The ministry has stated that an investigation will be conducted into individuals who had encroached on riverbanks for rent or business operations in the past, as well as those involved in illegal activities, and legal action will be taken if they are found guilty.

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu, issued a notice on Wednesday urging the evacuation of settlements along riverbanks in various local levels of the district, as well as houses and shelters built by encroaching on government, fallow, public, or privately owned land, by this evening.

Assistant Chief District Officer Mukti Ram Rizal informed RSS that the process of vacating these settlements, which are at high risk of disaster, will begin at 7:00 AM on May 1st.