Reclaiming Land, Ignoring Lives?

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has started clearing squatter settlements along the Kathmandu Valley rivers. Starting last Friday, officials, following Prime Minister Balen Shah's orders, tore down homes and shacks in 22 settlements along the Bagmati, Bishnumati, Manohara, Dhobikhola and other rivers. Hundreds of families who had lived in these areas for years are now affected. Many have been moved to temporary shelters, not knowing what is next for them. Stories from places like Thapathali and Gairigaun show just how fast everything happened. Security personnel came early in the morning, and then bulldozers arrived quickly. Families grabbed their blankets and clothes, leaving other belongings behind. Many of these people had slowly built their homes over the years while working odd jobs. All that effort vanished in just a few hours due to the demolitions. For most residents, the main and most pressing worry has been clear: where will they go, and how will they manage their daily lives from now on? The KMC demolition drive has a valid reason. People building too close to the rivers have caused environmental and safety problems for a long time. Floods, pollution and unplanned construction have made these river areas difficult to manage. Discussions about clearing these areas have been ongoing for years, but no government had taken concrete action. So, in a way, what is happening now is a long-overdue effort to enforce the rules and reclaim public land.