Land Commission directs not to remove the squatters immediately

KATHMANDU: The National Land Commission has directed that the squatters not be evicted right away. On Friday, the commission issued a notice instructing all local levels and government/non-government bodies, including Kathmandu metropolitan, not to evacuate residents of any location.

The Commission stated in the notice, “This notice is published not to remove the settlements of landless Dalits, landless squatters, and unorganized residents of any place and to make them unsafe.”

The Commission has said that all activities related to the collection, verification, distribution of map, land surveying and land documents will be done immediately after the Election Commission issues the notice that the code of conduct is not applicable. The commission had stopped the work including collection of landless tax from Sept 16.

Last Monday, the Kathmandu Metropolitan Municipality reached Thapathali with a dozer saying that the 35-day notice issued for the demolish of squatters had expired. When they tried to drive the dozer in the settlement, the locals blocked it. Municipal employees including city police were injured due to stone pelting by locals.