Pokhara Prepares to Relocate Squatters from Buspark Area

Kaski. Preparations have begun to relocate landless Dalits, landless squatters, and unorganized residents from the Pokhara buspark area. They are being relocated to 18 places based on the recommendation of the land search committee. A committee was formed under the convenership of Radhika Shahi Yogi, chairperson of Pokhara Metropolitan City Ward No. 17, to search for land. The committee has recommended places with more than 4 ropanis of land in wards other than the major wards of the city. Convenor Shahi said that public and vacant lands in most wards have been identified and a report has been submitted to the executive meeting. The committee has identified potential lands in two-three places in wards other than wards no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 after studying the field book and land revenue records and has recommended them to the executive. Shahi stated that the report was submitted with the plan to manage the squatters from the buspark area as the first priority and gradually relocate other landless people who have received a 'nisso' (certificate of land ownership). She said, 'Our first priority is to manage those in the buspark. The first work starts from the buspark. Gradually, others who have received a 'nisso' must also be investigated and land provided, and land has also been searched for that.' The responsibility of studying the technical standards and settlement development potential of the lands selected based on the report has been given to the infrastructure committee. The committee will submit a detailed report to the metropolis by Friday. Mayor Dhanraj Acharya informed that after that, a notice will be issued asking to vacate the buspark. Mayor Acharya said, 'We will now issue a notice and ask to vacate the buspark. Friends are saying that we will vacate within a week of the technical report coming. I think the buspark area will be vacated within a month at most, this work has reached the final stage.' He added that coordination is underway with the Squatter Problem Resolution Commission to manage land along with land ownership certificates. 'Continuous dialogue is ongoing with the commission, and the chief administrative officer of the metropolis is also a member of the commission,' he added. 'The plan is to manage the land by final certification of the movable and immovable property of the citizens in the squatter settlements. We wanted to keep everyone from the buspark area in one place, but land was not available, now the metropolis has a plan to manage at least one cluster in one place.' In the buspark alone, there are 286 families of landless Dalits and landless squatters, while 233 families of unorganized residents have been found. The metropolis has stated that the list of squatters and unorganized residents has been prepared after many studies and investigations. There are 55 families in the buspark whose details are duplicated or do not match. The metropolis has assured that basic infrastructure such as drinking water, electricity, and roads will be provided in the new settlement. On the other hand, the squatters' side has taken a stand not to vacate the place until a guarantee of permanent management with land ownership certificates by demarcating plots at 4 annas per family is provided. They demand that basic infrastructure should be prepared in the proposed place before relocation. A committee under the convenership of Administration Division Chief Krishna Tiwari was formed to investigate the squatters and unorganized residents in the buspark. That committee prepared the final list. Ward No. 9 held an all-party meeting and sent the report to the metropolis, and the file has also been sent to the District Administration Office, the metropolis said. A technical committee under the convenership of Engineer Surendra Poudel has been formed for settlement management, and this committee is managing the technical aspects.