Dozers Demolish Homes in Kohalpur, Resident Collapses

Butwal. A 45-year-old Yashoda BK has fainted in a settlement around the cricket ground in Kohalpur Municipality-11, Banke, where bulldozers ran over Sukumbasi. The municipality demolished her house yesterday afternoon while clearing public and government land, and she became unconscious due to stress and injury.

According to locals, BK had gone to remove the sheep she kept at home after receiving information about the bulldozer. During that time, material falling from the collapsing house hit her back. It is said that she fainted around 1 PM on Saturday due to the stress and injury from the house collapse.

The video of her fainting while removing houses and huts built on the land of the Urban Development Committee has now gone viral on social media. The video shows children crying and shouting after their houses were demolished, and locals becoming angry.

With the help of locals and journalist Pradip Wagle, Yashoda was taken to Kohalpur Hospital by ambulance, but as treatment was not possible there, she was taken to Sanjeevani Hospital Nepalgunj for further treatment, he told Ratopati. According to Wagle, Yashoda was taken to a hospital in Nepalgunj, where doctors said she had this condition due to excessive stress. Wagle informed that she was sent back after her condition became normal and today she underwent a health check-up again due to a back problem.

Kohalpur Municipality has been removing houses and huts built in the cricket ground area of Ward No. 11 as part of its campaign to clear public and government land. Yesterday, the houses of 40 families, including Yashoda's, were demolished on the first day, and today another 140 houses and huts have been removed, the municipality said. The campaign to remove structures built on approximately 36 bighas of land under Kohalpur Urban Development Committee, Kohalpur 3 Kha, is continuing on the second day.

Meanwhile, Ward No. 11 Chairperson Kalpana Sharma said that 751 families have been living by occupying the land of the Urban Development Committee. According to her, 180 houses and huts have been removed yesterday and today, and the campaign will continue tomorrow, she told Ratopati.

According to Sharma, there are 416 disorganized residents, 172 landless Dalits, and 163 landless squatters in that area. She said that many families who came and settled from districts like Dolpa, Humla, and Kalikot live here.

The municipality had issued a 10-day ultimatum on April 16, urging to clear the encroached area. The municipality stated that it had previously collected costs in 2081 BS and urged them to leave voluntarily.

The municipality has claimed that most individuals own property elsewhere and has a plan to manage families who are genuinely homeless.

Although 751 people applied as landless squatters and landless Dalits last year, only 153 landless Dalits and 141 landless squatters were found to be genuine during the data verification process, according to the relevant committee.