Residents Awaiting Hope Face Eviction Threat at Viratnagar Jute Mills

April 30, Viratnagar – The ‘Strike Square’ created for the workers of Nepal’s first factory, Viratnagar Jute Mills, remains a significant locus of the democratic movement.

Prominent leaders like Girija Prasad Koirala and Manmohan Adhikari inspired people from this spot, near the banyan tree, to take to the streets advocating for democracy.

However, present-day residents living around this historically witnessed spot are distressed and uncertain about their future. The local administration’s notice to clear the workers’ quarters has heightened concerns among locals.

Firoz Sheikh, a daily wage laborer, came to the Strike Square without work on Thursday afternoon. He expressed fear of losing his home: “I was born here, and my father worked at the Jute Mills. If we get evicted, where will I go?”

Sixty-two-year-old Jayra Khatun, who also worked at the mills and whose husband was a mill worker, shared similar worries upon receiving the eviction notice. She expressed deep anxiety about where to relocate.

On that day, the square gathered children, women, men, and elderly people united by the common grievance: “The government we voted for is uprooting us from our own homes.”

Kamala Magar lives alone in the Strike Square. Her husband and one son, who worked at the Jute Mills, have passed away, and her elder son is missing. She makes a living by running a small shop but asked for help before demolisher’s actions, saying, “They should give me poison before they remove us. I am ready to die by taking it.”

She continued, “My husband died right here. Where else can I go? We cannot live homeless.”

Residents feel betrayed by leaders who had promised development but now seem intent on taking away their homes. “The youth government arrived promising jobs; my grandchildren and I voted thinking of our future. Now, when they come to evict us, what are we supposed to do and where should we go?” Kamala lamented.

Jute Mills has been completely closed since 2013 (Nepali year 2070 BS). Although the workers were paid their dues before closure, they have not vacated their quarters.

Local resident Badal Chand emphasized that alternative arrangements should be provided before workers’ quarters are cleared. “We will leave only if given another place to live and offered employment,” he stated.

Seventy-year-old Krishna Bahadur Kshetri also opposed leaving the quarters without any alternative.

According to Manoj Khadka, supervisor at Viratnagar Jute Mills, over 400 families currently inhabit the mills’ workers’ quarters, including Strike Square and surrounding areas.

“The government updated the records of all workers; some vacated their quarters but many remain. Additionally, other people have also settled in these areas,” he said. “Some residents are genuine squatters, while others are renting.”

Khadka added that the entire Viratnagar Jute Mills property covers 69 bighas, with 46 bighas allocated to the industrial area and over 14 bighas covering Harinagar Bricks, Strike Square, South Gate, and Daraiyabasti areas.

Informal settlers occupy areas outside the industrial zone, with over 80 small and large makeshift huts on mills’ property. Many long-term residents have not paid rent and show reluctance when asked to do so.

The government is preparing to facilitate removal of encroachers in coordination with mills management.

Saroj Koirala, Assistant Chief District Officer of Morang, said that the data collection of residents at Jute Mills is ongoing and clarified that the settlement will not be removed immediately but handled according to proper procedures.

“We are verifying whether these residents are squatters or not,” he said. “Preparations are underway to clear the settlement, and there will be cooperation between the local administration and mills management, with our assistance.”