BANKE, May 11: Kohalpur Municipality in Banke has continued its drive to remove structures built on encroached public land, demolishing 108 houses and sheds on the second day of the campaign.
According to the municipality, the structures had been built on land owned by the Kohalpur Town Development Committee in Ward No. 11.
The anti-encroachment campaign began on Saturday in an area covering around 36 bighas of land under Kohalpur 3(B) of the Town Development Committee. Most of the removed structures were temporary and permanent settlements constructed over the years around the cricket ground area.
The municipality had removed 40 houses and sheds on the first day of the operation.
Local residents obstruct demolition of illegal structures built...
Kohalpur Municipal Police Chief Bir Bahadur Thapa said the municipality had initiated the clearance process only after issuing prior notices and setting deadlines.
“On April 29, we issued a 10-day ultimatum requesting residents to vacate the encroached area. Most people have been removing their belongings themselves. We have only demolished structures that had already been vacated,” he said.
According to Thapa, the campaign is being carried out in coordination with the local administration, elected representatives, municipal police, and security personnel.
The municipality has also brought a holding center into operation to provide temporary shelter for displaced families. Officials said 73 households had filled out forms on Saturday seeking accommodation at the holding center.
Currently, 208 individuals from 54 families are staying at the facility, according to the municipality.
Thapa added that the process of identifying genuine landless people and squatters is also being carried out alongside the eviction drive.
“Not everyone living on public land is necessarily landless. Therefore, the municipality has started a process to identify genuine landless Dalits and landless squatters,” he said.
According to the municipality, 751 families residing in the area had filled out forms last year claiming to be landless and squatters.
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