News from Nepal March, 2012 (consolidated)

Home Minister commits to remove fake landless squatters from river banks

Mar 1, 2012 @ 18:31

In a discussion programme organized by the High Level Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bijay Kumar Gachhadar expressed his commitment to remove the fake landless squatters residing along the river banks in the Kathmandu Valley.

Home Minister Gachhadar questioned how people can be called landless squatters when they are living encroaching public land by constructing RCC buildings.

According to RSS, he said he had requested top leaders of the big three parties frequently for their support. He further said to remove fake landless squatters at any expense, and warned he will rather settle other people in Tundikhel, if they did not support him for the same.

Similarly, Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hyridayesh Tripathi said that the government was committed to conserve the river banks in the Kathmandu Valley.

Earlier in January, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works had tasked the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) with registering the squatters to identify real landless squatters.

Only 12 percent of the around 8,000 people living on the river banks filed applications for registering themselves as squatters.

According to the study of the government, more than 1,500 ropanis (76.3 hectares) of land have been encroached by the squatters on the banks of Bagmati, Bishnumati, Manohara and Dhobikhola rivers in the valley.

EC cancels registration of 11 political parties

Mar 2, 2012 @ 18:12
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