The squatters have expressed concern that the squatters will be evicted after the government issued a notice to vacate encroachments on government and public land. They participated in the 'District-level workshop on compensation, dignity and security' organized in Rajbiraj on Monday and urged that the settlement be managed before demolition.

Dashan Mandal, president of the Mukta Harwa-Chavara Adhikar Manch, said that there are more than 150,000 squatters in Madhesh Province and most of them are living on government, public and public land. 'No one has their own land,' he said, 'If even the existing huts are demolished, where will they go? Will the government protect only the land or ours too?'

He expressed his sorrow that the squatters have been losing sleep since the District Administration Office and local levels issued the notice. ‘Even when any government comes, the herdsmen and herders have neither received proper wages, nor dignity and security,’ he added, ‘We urge the local government to manage their habitat before demolishing it.’

Hukum Sarki, executive director of the National Dalit Network, and others demanded that the herdsmen and herders who work in other people’s fields and raise their families be paid a respectable wage. The Free Herdsmen and Herdsmen Rights Forum had organized a workshop under the chief guestship of the head of the District Coordination Committee. The chiefs, deputy chiefs, ward chairmen, administrative officers, and even the Chief District Officer of all 18 municipalities here were invited to that program. However, the herdsmen and herders expressed their sadness that no one was present except for Vijay Sah, ward chairman of Shambhunath Municipality-4.