Kathmandu, May 1: The government has stepped up its move in Balkhu and Banshighat areas as part of its campaign to remove unorganized settlements along the Bagmati and tributary rivers.
The Prime Minister’s Secretariat has stated that the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has put in place action in coordination with the relevant agencies.
In the campaign, a total of 686 structures are targeted to be removed today. Accordingly, bulldozers have started clearing 486 huts in Balkhu area and 200 structures in Banshighat area.
The government has emphasized the move to protect citizens’ lives and properties by preventing major human and physical loss that could be caused by floods and inundation during the rainy season.
In regard to the future plans, the government has clarified that the removal of structures in other upstream areas, including Shankhamul, will continue gradually. For the remaining areas where squatters reside, the government has clearly stated that the land clearance process will proceed only after actual mapping of the residents and preparation of a concrete plan for their safe management.
