Claiming that Pokhara Metropolitan City has expedited the process of distributing food parcels, the mayor has emphasized dialogue and cooperation rather than agitation to resolve the problems of squatters.
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After the Landless and Unorganized Settlement Concerns Struggle Committee Kaski announced a phased movement against the notice to vacate the squatter settlements, Pokhara Metropolitan Mayor Dhanraj Acharya has urged the frustrated squatters not to open the way for the movement. He also suggested forming a 'Cooperation and Facilitation Committee' instead of the 'Struggle Committee' and solving the problem together with the metropolis.
Issuing a public request on Facebook on Monday, he said, 'You do not need to protest. The metropolis is working responsibly to solve your problems. Please do not be used for anyone's interests.'
He said that after the notice to vacate the encroached land was issued, some parties were trying to use the squatter settlements as human shields, saying that such an act was sad. 'Unnecessary excitement and passion have been created, which serves the interests of others rather than the interests of the actual squatters,' he said.
He claimed that Pokhara Metropolitan City has done remarkable work in solving the problem of squatters and mentioned that the metropolis has probably completed the distribution of Nissas at the fastest pace in the country. So far, 19,856 families have been distributed Nissas as squatters and unorganized settlers.
According to him, the citizens who have received Nissas will be investigated. If the place they are living in is safe and not required for government projects, they will be managed in the same place. The process of managing in alternative places has been taken forward as per the rules.
He requested that instead of forming a struggle committee and protesting, a 'Cooperation and Facilitation Committee' be formed and demands and suggestions be formally submitted to the metropolis or the concerned ward office.
Pokhara Metropolitan City and Pokhara Valley City Development Committee had given an ultimatum in the first week of Baisakh to remove the structures constructed illegally on public, open and vacant land within 35 days. Following the announcement, the Kaski Landless and Unorganized Settlement Concerns Struggle Committee has announced that it will submit a memorandum to the District Administration Office and Pokhara Metropolitan City on Monday, then hold a corner meeting and plan a program for more stringent agitation from Wednesday.
