Policy on anvil to resolve issue of landless squatters for good
Summary
The government has launched a nationwide drive to reclaim encroached public land and is drafting a new policy to address landless squatters and unmanaged settlements in the long term. The campaign has triggered protests, while the Supreme Court has ordered authorities not to carry out forcible evictions without proper legal process and rehabilitation plans.
Key Points
- The government is clearing encroached government and public land across the country, with the first phase targeting settlements along the Bagmati River and its tributaries in Kathmandu Valley.
- The Supreme Court has issued an interim order stopping forcible eviction and bulldozer demolitions of squatter settlements without proper legal procedures.
- Thousands of displaced families are seeking rehabilitation support, while rights groups and Amnesty International have warned of a potential humanitarian crisis.
- The Urban Development Ministry is drafting a new policy and a digital database to address landless squatters, unmanaged settlements and long-term rehabilitation.
