Around 50 squatter families, including women, children and the elderly, have been living in makeshift plastic tents on the bank of Bagmati River in Thapathali after they were evicted some two months ago. [break]
“On one hand we are happy as the government is making preparations to relocate us, we feel equally insecure as the locals say that they will not tolerate us,” said Sanjeeta Praja, mother of a 13-day-old baby, adding, “I wish we could move into the hut as soon as possible. My body aches due to the dampness here. I am more worried about the new born,” she said. Praja is now a mother of three.
Amid strong protest by the locals, the government plans to complete constructing the huts as soon as possible. Women and children will be the first to move into the new huts.
“I am very happy that we will have a new cottage to live in. But I fear that there will be problems after security forces are removed from there,” said Asha Pariyar, an expectant mother. “I wonder why people hate us so much.”
The locals of Lalitpur have been demanding that the land should not be used for constructing huts for squatters. The locals had even called for a Lalitpur banda on Sunday. However, the government is building 48 cottages for the squatter families.
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