Landless Residents Protest Forced Eviction in Butwal

Butwal. Landless and unorganized residents living in the Motipur area of Butwal have protested against the government's decision. They have also submitted a memorandum to the Mayor of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, Khelraj Pandey.

The local residents became agitated after the Motipur Industrial Area Management Limited recently corresponded to vacate the Motipur area and structures were removed using bulldozers in various places.

Gathered in the field at Rajigunj, they protested with various placards. During the protest, slogans such as 'Stop the forced eviction campaign', 'Being landless is not a choice, it is a compulsion', and 'Stop the bulldozer terror' were raised.

Chhabilal Raskoti, coordinator of the Rajigunj settlement protection committee, submitted a memorandum to Mayor Pandey, stating that the area has been inhabited by citizens for years, with structures like schools, playgrounds, and markets, and demanded that they not be forcibly removed in the name of an industrial area.

According to locals, more than 3,000 households are facing displacement since the Motipur Industrial Area was declared in 2073 BS. They claim that similar problems exist in other nearby settlements.

Upon receiving the memorandum, Mayor Pandey mentioned that there was a prior agreement with the locals regarding the Motipur Industrial Area and pledged to find a solution that would not inconvenience the locals based on that agreement. Struggle committee coordinator Raskoti warned that if the government does not stop the 'bulldozer terror', they will submit memorandums to the provincial and federal levels and announce further protest programs.