28,801 Applications Received for Landless and Squatter Problem in Makwanpur

Hetauda. In Makwanpur, 28,801 people have submitted applications to the Commission for the Resolution of Landless Dalits and Squatters. According to Maheshwor Karki, Chief of the Survey Office Makwanpur and former Member Secretary of the Landless Dalits and Squatters Problem Resolution Commission Makwanpur, among those who registered applications, 471 are landless Dalits and 3,589 are squatters. Similarly, the number of disorganized residents is 24,737.

Where and how many?

According to Chief Karki, there are 6,124 landless squatters and disorganized residents in Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, including 236 landless Dalits, 1,851 landless squatters, and 4,037 disorganized residents.

In Bagmati Rural Municipality, there are 2,208 landless squatters and disorganized residents. Among them, there are 34 landless Dalits, 283 landless squatters, and 1,895 disorganized residents.

In Bakaiya Rural Municipality, among the 8,813 landless squatters and disorganized residents, there are 44 landless Dalits. The number of landless squatters is 328, while 8,441 are disorganized residents.

In Bhimphedi Rural Municipality, among the 772 landless squatters and disorganized residents, there are 45 landless Dalits, 331 landless squatters, and 396 disorganized residents.

In Indrasarovar Rural Municipality, among the 135 landless squatters and disorganized residents, there are 5 landless squatters and 130 disorganized residents.

In Kailash Rural Municipality, there are 542 landless squatters and disorganized residents, including 6 landless Dalits, 67 landless squatters, and 469 disorganized residents. In Makwanpurgadhi Rural Municipality, among the 243 landless squatters and disorganized residents, there are 2 Dalits, 41 squatters, and 200 disorganized residents.

In Manahari Rural Municipality, among the 8,335 landless squatters and disorganized residents, there are 101 Dalits, 615 squatters, and 7,619 disorganized residents. In Raksirang Rural Municipality, there are 1 landless Dalit, 29 squatters, and 301 disorganized residents, totaling 331 landless squatters and disorganized residents.

In Thaha Municipality, there are 1,294 landless squatters and disorganized residents, including 3 Dalits, 39 squatters, and 1,252 disorganized residents.

Chief Karki stated that this data was prepared based on applications collected from the ward level as per the information issued by the commission.

Makwanpur Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari said that the administration has increased its efforts to remove encroachments on government and public land within the district. In accordance with the circulars from the federal government and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the District Administration Office has been advancing land protection work in coordination with local levels.

According to him, this data may not include all citizens or may have missed some, and the applications received are yet to be verified and updated. He mentioned that the data prepared in coordination with the web portal of the Land Problem Resolution Commission and local levels is being updated, and land ownership certificates have already been distributed in some places.

According to Chief Karki, the verification process must be completed before distributing the certificates. He explained that first, the list of landless people will be collected and verified at the ward level, then by the executive of the local level, and finally by the district committee, after which the process of distributing certificates will begin.

“If the land where the concerned person is residing is transferable, it will be given in the same place, and if not, arrangements will be made to find land elsewhere. This problem exists in almost all wards of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, and studies are being conducted in this regard,” he said.

We will collect data and remove encroachments on government land – CDO Adhikari

Makwanpur Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari said that the administration has increased its efforts to remove encroachments on government and public land within the district. In accordance with the circulars from the federal government and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the District Administration Office has been advancing land protection work in coordination with local levels.

According to him, the 7-8 point circular received from the Ministry of Home Affairs has been sent to all local levels. CDO Adhikari stated that land registered in the name of the Nepal government but occupied by individuals will be prioritized for eviction.

He mentioned that correspondence has already been sent to the relevant bodies to remove encroachments, especially on approximately 105 bighas of land in Manahari Rural Municipality, TCN land, and former railway land. The process of collecting details of encroached land is progressing rapidly, and all data is expected to be received within about a week.

“Local levels themselves have the authority to protect details of public land. Once the details are received from the local levels and the squatters are identified, if the land needs to be vacated, the administration will provide security arrangements,” he said. “If the concerned bodies request security, we will immediately deploy security personnel to remove the encroachment.”

He stated that government land encroachment and the squatter problem need to be approached differently. Specifically, the administration is preparing to identify and manage the squatters. He also mentioned that a detailed study will be conducted on who is residing in Hetauda-11 and other squatter settlements.

“The local level must keep records of whether they are Nepali or foreign, what their profession is, and whether any individuals involved in criminal activities are present. Squatters must be managed. However, those who grab land based on false information must be punished,” he said.

He stated that the Praja and Chepang communities residing in the Raksirang and Kailash areas of the district have the first right to recognition, and arrangements are being made for their management accordingly. According to him, many people in those areas are without identification (citizenship) before having land and houses, and providing them with citizenship is the administration's first priority.

How many certificates distributed in which municipality?

In Makwanpur, land ownership certificates have been distributed to 960 landless Dalits, landless squatters, and disorganized residents so far. The district committees of the National Land Commission and the Land Problem Resolution Commission in Makwanpur have been distributing these certificates in various local levels of the district according to decisions made at different times.

Bagmati Rural Municipality appears to have the highest number of certificates distributed. In Ward No. 1 of Bagmati, 4 Dalits and 38 squatters, in Ward No. 2, 30 squatters and 5 more tasks have been completed. In Ward No. 3 of Bagmati, 1 Dalit and 5 squatters received certificates, while in Ward No. 4, 1 Dalit and 1 squatter, and in Ward No. 6, 8 Dalits and 21 squatters received certificates.

According to the received details, a total of 16 landless Dalit and 144 landless squatter families have received land ownership certificates in various wards of Makwanpur. Besides this, 75 other tasks at various stages have been completed, and the process of certificate distribution is in the final stage.

Bagmati Rural Municipality appears to have the highest number of certificates distributed. In Ward No. 1 of Bagmati, 4 Dalits and 38 squatters, in Ward No. 2, 30 squatters and 5 more tasks have been completed. In Ward No. 3 of Bagmati, 1 Dalit and 5 squatters received certificates, while in Ward No. 4, 1 Dalit and 1 squatter, and in Ward No. 6, 8 Dalits and 21 squatters received certificates.

In Bakaiya Rural Municipality, 40 people received land ownership certificates in Ward No. 7, while in Ward No. 5, 2 Dalits and 9 people received certificates. In Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, the work of distributing 69 certificates has been completed in Ward No. 13, and the necessary process for distributing one certificate has been completed in Ward No. 16.