Pokhara Squatters Protest Eviction Notice, Demand Rights

Pokhara. Following the Pokhara Metropolitan City's notice to vacate structures built on public land, landless and unorganized residents of Pokhara have become agitated. They have submitted a six-point memorandum to Pokhara's Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, stating that the metropolis is trying to make them homeless without an alternative.

On Monday, they also held a protest in Pokhara. The Landless and Unorganized Residents' Struggle Committee, Kaski District, stated that it is wrong to indiscriminately run bulldozers over squatter settlements that were legalized by the state in the past.

The squatters said that they have already been distributed squatter identity cards and certificates by the state, and they have been living with electricity and water connections based on the metropolis's recommendation. The Struggle Committee has objected to the sudden attempt to remove them now.

They have stated that they do not oppose the metropolis's plan to manage the old bus park at Prithvi Chowk in Pokhara, but the landless and squatters residing there must be properly managed before the construction of the bus park begins. Pokhara Metropolis had issued a notice on April 3rd, ordering the vacation of structures built on public, uncultivated, and barren land without permission within 35 days.

According to the committee's data, within Pokhara Metropolis alone, there are 3,421 landless Dalits, 4,029 landless squatters, and 11,726 unorganized residents, totaling 19,176 households. The Struggle Committee claims that there are about 20,462 such households in Kaski district, with approximately 5,000 more yet to be included in the data.

Coordinator of the Struggle Committee, Prem Bahadur Gurung, stated that their permanent management should be done according to the right to housing provided by the constitution and the provisions of the land act. The committee has demanded the cancellation of the notice published by the executive board to vacate or remove squatter settlements within 7 days. They have also demanded the speedy distribution of land ownership certificates (lal purja) by implementing the provision for landless Dalits, landless squatters, and unorganized residents to pay house tax based on the certificates they have received.

Similarly, it has been demanded that unorganized residents should be managed by formulating policies in accordance with the provisions of the Land Act (Eighth Amendment) 2021, and a facilitation committee should be formed to resolve the problems of landless and squatters residing in Pokhara. The squatters have put forward the demand for recommendations to the Land Problem Resolution Commission, Kaski, to be made by that committee.

They have requested a guarantee of food, shelter, and clothing for the squatters and urged for the immediate activation of facilitation committees formed at the ward level. A letter with the same details has also been sent to the Prime Minister. On Monday, they sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) through the Chief District Officer. The squatters here have become frightened after the government started running bulldozers over squatter settlements in Kathmandu.

They have formed a 35-member struggle committee and have also announced phased protests. They distributed memorandums along with protests on Monday, and further programs will be decided in another meeting on Wednesday, informed Co-coordinator Ramesh Barkoti.

The committee has warned of a strong struggle if their demands are not met and if the metropolis forcibly tries to remove the settlements. Chairman of the Land Commission Kaski, Bain Bahadur Gurung, stated that it has been challenging to solve the problem due to the lack of timely necessary details from the local level. According to the commission, 5 people, including staff and technicians, are currently working in Pokhara Metropolis. Mayor Acharya argued that the land commission is inactive, which is why land ownership certificates cannot be issued even after distribution of certificates.