NEPALGUNJ, May 17 : Kohalpur Municipality in Banke has removed 751 houses and huts built by encroaching on public and government land.
The demolition drive, carried out over a period of around four days, targeted settlements constructed near the cricket ground in Ward No. 11 of Kohalpur Municipality.
Mayor Purna Prasad Acharya said that most residents took away their own materials such as doors and windows before the structures were cleared. He added that genuine landless residents would be supported by the municipality, including through livelihood allowances if necessary, and that those currently in holding centers were gradually decreasing in number.
He said the demolition was not an easy decision, adding that the municipality had initially prepared relief packages including blankets and food supplies worth around Rs 500,000, but distribution was later halted due to complications.
UML demands encroached land be freed and protected
According to the municipality, details of 102 households have been officially recorded so far.
The municipality has temporarily relocated affected families to the Kohalpur new bus park building, where they have been organized into groups across three floors based on population size.
Many displaced families, who survive on daily wage labor, say they are running out of food supplies and are facing growing uncertainty about their future. Some women have also raised concerns about privacy and discomfort due to shared accommodation with men in the same hall.
A total of 279 people, including around 60 children, are currently staying in the holding center, though the municipality says the number is gradually decreasing as some families leave.
Meanwhile, a team of human rights and legal experts conducted a field inspection of the holding center, meeting municipal officials and representatives of the Land Problem Resolution Commission in Banke to gather information about the situation.
According to reports, more than 53,700 families in Banke are landless, and administrative work related to land ownership distribution and surveys has stalled following the dissolution of the land commission, adding further uncertainty for affected communities.
