No more delay in shelter for displaced squatters

Over weeks after riverbank evictions, hundreds of families remain confined to temporary shelters without a clear resettlement plan from the government.

On April 25, Balendra Shah administration began demolishing squatter settlements along the riverbanks. The government argued that the move was necessary to relocate genuinely landless residents to permanent housing in safer areas, away from flood risks and poor living conditions. However, more than a month and a half later, no concrete steps have been taken to achieve this goal. Hundreds of displaced residents continue to remain in temporary shelters. While the government acted with urgency in carrying out the evictions, it has not prioritised long-term rehabilitation and resettlement of those affected. The delay is becoming increasingly difficult to justify, and meaningful action is already overdue.