The Bagmati Irrigation Project is preparing to demolish the encroached houses on the right and left banks of the East-West Canal in Chandrapur Municipality-5 of Rautahat. They had occupied and started building houses on both sides of the canal in the name of 'sukumbasi' since 2054 BS.

Indu Patel, 41, was talking about her conflict with her neighbors under a Barapipal tree on the banks of the East-West Canal in Chandrapur Municipality-5 on Friday. Indu built a two-story concrete house on the west side of the canal in 2078 BS. She built the concrete house at a cost of Rs. 1.3 million. 'I didn't realize that my house was on the canal, now I am confused about what to do,' she said.

Hundreds of families in the settlement are in confusion over the decision of the Bagmati Irrigation Project to remove the houses built on the land of the East-West Canal. Those who have land elsewhere are not so unhappy, but those who do not have land anywhere are worried about being left behind. Those who have land elsewhere are saying that they will move on their own if the project gives them some time.

Ramdaresh Yadav of Haraiyapaltuwa village in Brindaban Municipality has also built a house near the canal. He has his own land in his village in Brindaban. He says that he came to Chandranigahpur with the hope of earning money. He also has a pickup truck. He came here with the hope of earning money. ‘If the house here is demolished, I will go and live there,’ he said, ‘I cannot say that I am forcibly living on government land.’

The locals have built concrete houses and shops on the canal embankment. They have laid straw on the road, tied up cattle and even dug a water tap. According to the project, encroachment has been seriously hampering the regular maintenance, cleaning and water supply system of the canal. Irrigation project officials say that encroachment in this area, which is considered the main lifeline of irrigation, could lead to environmental and structural accidents in the future. After the canal began to face many problems, the Bagmati Irrigation Project has been issuing notices to those occupying the canal land once a year to vacate. But they have been defying it.

Structures resembling permanent residences have been built on the banks of the canal where encroachment began two decades ago by building ordinary huts. After the project gave a short deadline to remove the houses, the locals have demanded some time. They are saying that they are worried about the management of their property and children.

The project, however, has said that they have been defying it even after issuing notices repeatedly and will now proceed as per the law. Project chief Santosh Chaudhary said that they have already asked all those occupying the canal to vacate. ‘We will move forward after discussing with the district administration. Now we will resolve it,’ he said, ‘The settlements built by digging canals have been causing problems in water supply and sanitation.’

The residents of the settlements allege that the problem has become more complicated as Chandrapur Municipality has not been able to play a coordinating role in this matter. Ward chairperson Nilhari Koirala says that although it is inevitable to free the canal land from encroachment, it needs to be looked at from a humane perspective. ‘In the real sense, it is necessary to distinguish between squatters and those with access,’ he said, ‘It would be better to remove the settlements only by arranging for the squatters to settle elsewhere.’ The government should come up with a long-term plan for safe housing for the real landless.’

The irrigation project has issued a notice to remove the eastern and western main canals, branches, branches, and Tasairi canals within the project, and to remove permanent and temporary houses and huts and other structures built within the land. The project says that it is necessary to manage it as the water of the Sunkoshi Marine Diversion will be operated from this canal. The project had published a notice on Chaitra 10 asking to remove the huts within 7 days. The project has sent a letter to Chandrapur Municipality and the district administration requesting them to coordinate.

Chief District Officer Dinesh Sagar Bhusal said that they will discuss the issue of removing the settlements from the canal. ‘We are in discussions on how to proceed now,’ he said, ‘We will take a decision on this issue next Monday.’ The canal is becoming dilapidated due to unorganized settlements. The locals have been occupying and building houses indiscriminately and have not been able to repair them. Locals have occupied and built huts in the canal area, about 2 kilometers from Chandi Pul in the east to the west, for a long time. Nearly 400 huts have been built in this area. The project said that data on the encroached areas is being collected. Initially, those who lived in huts in the name of squatters have now built large houses made of wood and cement and cultivated in the lower part of the canal.