Prime Minister Asserts Vacating Squatter Settlements Aims to Secure Housing Rights

April 21, Kathmandu – Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) has stated that the eviction of squatter settlements was carried out with the objective of ensuring housing rights. He emphasized that the government is continuously striving to find a permanent solution to this issue. On Monday, through his social media platform Facebook, the Prime Minister clarified that the settlements were vacated in accordance with regulations, and not to displace citizens arbitrarily. “The Government of Nepal wants to make it clear that all measures taken aim not to remove citizens but to ensure housing rights and to bring about a permanent resolution to the problem,” he said.

“Therefore, citizens are requested not to be unnecessarily alarmed or misled by false information.” The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s full commitment to provide safe, dignified, and sustainable housing for every landless citizen, assuring that appropriate arrangements will be made so that no one remains homeless. He further disclosed that certain provisions of the Land Related Act 2078, which were hindering long-term solutions, have been repealed through an ordinance considering the current situation.

After removing legal obstacles, the government has commenced a process of digitally collecting facts, verifying details, and preparing clear records of genuine landless citizens, the Prime Minister noted. “This process will help identify the real status of landless citizens and enable the government to move forward with a systematic, transparent, and sustainable solution,” the Prime Minister wrote. “For citizens living in unsafe locations that pose risks to life, arrangements will be made for safe and organized relocation.”