The Kaski Landless and Unorganized Settlement Concern Struggle Committee submitted a memorandum with 1,637 signatures to the Prime Minister and Pokhara Metropolitan City offices through the Chief District Officer of Kaski on Monday.

The committee's main demand is that the notice issued by Pokhara Metropolitan City on April 3 to vacate structures encroaching on public, public and private land without permission within 35 days should be revoked within 7 days.

The committee submitted the memorandum along with a protest. Thousands of squatters gathered at the District Administration Office, Shahid Chowk, and protested through Ratna Chowk, Sirjana Chowk, and Sahib Chowk to the Pokhara Metropolitan City office in Nayabazar.

The memorandum states that a total of 19,176 families, including 3,421 landless Dalits, 4,29 landless squatters, and 11,726 unorganized settlers, have been living in the metropolis for a long time. The memorandum submitted under the signature of Sangharsh Samiti Coordinator Prem Bahadur Gurung and Co-Coordinator Ramesh Balkoti has a 6-point demand.

According to the decision of the Metropolitan Executive on 3 Baisakh, the notice published to vacate or remove squatters within 35 days should be revoked within 7 days, a system of paying house tax based on documentary evidence should be implemented for landless Dalits, landless squatters and unorganized settlers, unorganized settlers who have reduced their population should be classified and properly managed, the local level facilitation committee and Pokhara Metropolitan City should make a decision to resolve the problems of landless Dalits, landless squatters and unorganized settlers living in various wards and tole settlements and recommend them to the Land Problem Resolution Commission within 7 days, the landless should be guaranteed food, shelter, clothing, education, health and employment, and if the settlements where landless and unorganized settlers have been living have to be relocated, long-term settlement management in a suitable place should be included in the demands.

In the memorandum, the committee has reminded the people of the provision that every citizen has the right to adequate housing as per Article 37(1) of the Fundamental Rights of the Constitution and that landless Dalits should be provided with land once as per the law as per Article 40(5). In addition, Article 51(j)6 also mentions the provision that freed Kamaiya, Kamlari, Haruwa, Charuwa and Haliya landless squatters should be identified and provided with arable land or employment for their settlement and livelihood.

The legal basis for managing unorganized settlements under Chapter 10 52 ‘C’ of the Eighth Amendment Act on Land 25 Magh 076 has also been mentioned in the memorandum. The memorandum states that the landless squatter identity cards distributed by the Landless Squatter Problem Resolution Commission, Kaski, formed by the Government of Nepal, in accordance with Section 3 (d), and the certificates distributed by the National Land Commission to landless Dalits, landless squatters and unorganized settlers through the Pokhara Metropolitan City should be accepted as evidence. The memorandum also states that they have been living with drinking water, tap connection and electricity lines on the recommendation of the Metropolitan City.