”My daughter is sick, I am sick. Yesterday too, a government official came and said that now you will manage it yourself. Where can I go in such a situation?”
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‘What can we say now, even if we speak, the pain will not be heard,’ 50-year-old Pramila Rai expressed her grief as soon as Kantipurkarmi reached the Radha Swami Satsang Holding Center in Kirtipur on Wednesday. For the past few days, Pramila had been experiencing more discomfort due to her uric acid problem. In such a situation, on Monday, she suddenly read the notice on the wall of the holding center to leave the camp within 5 days. ‘My daughter is sick, I am sick. Yesterday, a government official came and said that now you should manage it yourself. Where can we go in such a situation,’ she complained.
According to Pramila, the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu and the Chairman of the powerful Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee had reached the holding center on Tuesday. At that time, they had said that 25,000 rupees would be deposited in the bank account for management. They also asked about the time it would take to leave the camp. ‘We have no belongings left in our house. Now how can we manage with 25,000?’ she said.
The displaced squatters are now trying to find a room. But they complain that they have not been given a room even after knowing that they are squatters. ‘We will not move from here until proper management is done. Instead, we are ready to be shot by the police administration and the army. But we will not leave the place,’ Pramila adds, ‘We will go only if they pick us up from here and arrange for us to go somewhere, otherwise we will not go.’
Krishnamaya Pariyar, 45, has a family of 7 members. Her daughter-in-law had given birth a while ago. They have not gone looking for a room in the meantime. ‘We searched in many places, but we did not find a room. Such a family. Where will we go again with a newly-born daughter-in-law and a child,’ she said with a worried expression. On top of that, she complains that the money given by the government cannot meet the needs of her accommodation, food and children.
Anjali Kumari Paswan, 24, came to know that the government had put up the notice only on Tuesday. She got emotional remembering the ultimatum given to Thapathali on April 12 to demolish his house on April 11. ‘I was scared that night, and it happened again yesterday. When it suddenly came, I don’t know where to go again,’ she said. She also has the bitter experience of not getting a room after being called a squatter. ‘We are 7 people in the family. Who will give a room to a family of 7 now,’ she said, ‘Earlier, my in-laws used to do business, selling beri and almonds, but now there is nothing. Now there is more tension.’
She fears that the government’s intention is to remove us from here, pay us rent for 3 months and then ignore us. ‘They will remove us from here and give us money again after 3 months, I don’t know whether that money will come or not,’ she expressed her suspicion.
75-year-old Bishnu, who is in the holding center, hopes that the government will now manage it. He also urged the government employees who came on Tuesday not to let them down. ‘The government should choose us. Now we are in your hands. Establish sustainable management as it is possible. Although the previous government’s words have changed many times. Let it not change now,’ he said.
The government has an ultimatum to the holding centers to vacate the camps by 12 Ashad. ‘We have already told them. That is why this is not a short time. If it is difficult, we can extend it for a few days,’ said Anand Singh Bhat, the working committee chairman of the powerful Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee. He said that the government will identify the real landless people within 3 months and provide them with long-term management. ‘If it is not possible in 3 months, the government has thought of more options,’ he said.
