Kathmandu: The taskforce formed to evict squatters residing alongside the Bagmati river banks has urged landless people to leave their settlements within four days or face a forceful eviction. According Mahesh Bahadur Basnet, coordinator of the taskforce, squatters have been notified of the decision through miking in the Thapathali area on Saturday.

The taskforce has stepped up preparations for eviction as the 35-day deadline given by the Patan Appellate Court against the plan ended on Wednesday. The 17-member taskforce comprising senior officials from various ministers and security forces has decided to launch an eviction campaign next week from the UN Park. Meanwhile, a group of NGOs working for the welfare of squatters have urged the government to come up with an eviction plan respecting the human rights of landless people. Organising an interaction on Friday, the organisations showed deep concern over the government plan to evict thousands of squatters without proper resettlement and rehabilitation alternatives.
A letter has been forwarded to Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and Mahesh Basnet, chairperson of High Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilisation, urging them to immediately scrap the eviction plan until they are relocated with respect to the national and international human rights standards. Shodashi Rayamajhi, chairperson of Planete Enfants, said the squatters living along the riverside have not received any formal notification from government authorities. The NGOs have expressed their commitment to provide emergency shelter to vulnerable groups. There are over 4,000 squatters living along Bagmati banks, according to a report of Bagmati Action Plan.

Source: The Kathmandu Post, January 22, 2012