DistantNews
🇳🇵 Nepal /Economy & Trade

Encroachment crackdowns loom in Rautahat, Butwal and Pokhara

From Kathmandu Post · (2h ago) English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Authorities in Rautahat, Butwal, and Pokhara are preparing to clear encroachments from public spaces, including canals and embankments.
  • In Rautahat, the Bagmati Irrigation Project faces challenges from nearly 400 structures built along a canal, disrupting maintenance and water supply.
  • Residents, some of whom have invested significantly in their homes, face uncertainty, while officials emphasize the need for legal action and humane approaches to resettlement.

A significant crackdown on encroachments is imminent in Rautahat, Butwal, and Pokhara, as authorities move to reclaim public spaces, particularly along vital infrastructure like the Bagmati Irrigation Project canal in Rautahat. This initiative, while necessary for maintaining essential services, is set to displace hundreds of households and businesses that have established themselves over years, sometimes decades.

I did not fully realise that my house fell within the canal area. Now I don’t know what to do.

— Indu PatelA resident whose two-storey concrete house was built on the canal embankment in Rautahat, expressing uncertainty about her future.

The situation in Chandrapur, Rautahat, is particularly stark, with nearly 400 houses and temporary shelters constructed along a two-kilometer stretch of the canal. These encroachments, which began as makeshift settlements in 1997, have evolved into permanent structures, including multi-story homes and shops. Project officials lament that these obstructions severely impede crucial maintenance, cleaning, and water supply operations, threatening the agricultural lifeline of southern Rautahat.

I will return to my village if the house here is demolished. We cannot insist on staying on public land.

— Ramdaresh YadavA resident in Chandranigahapur, Rautahat, who operates a pickup vehicle and owns land in his home village, stating his willingness to leave if his encroached property is demolished.

For the residents, the impending demolition brings immense uncertainty. Many, like Indu Patel who invested around Rs1.3 million in a two-story house, face the prospect of losing their homes and livelihoods. While some with alternative landholdings may relocate, families without other property fear becoming destitute. Officials acknowledge the need for a humane approach, distinguishing between genuine landless individuals and those who occupied land despite owning other property, and stressing the importance of resettlement arrangements. However, the project's repeated notices have gone largely unheeded, leaving legal action as the next step in coordination with local administration.

Settlements built over the canal are creating serious problems for water flow and maintenance.

— Santosh ChaudharyChief of the Bagmati Irrigation Project, explaining the negative impact of encroachments on the canal's functionality.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog