The government has given an 'ultimatum' to the displaced squatters to vacate the holding center by 12 Asad. The empowered Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee issued a notice on Tuesday asking the squatters to vacate the holding center by 12 Asad.

In the notice issued by the committee, the government has decided to provide relief money of 25 thousand rupees to the displaced, and accordingly, it has been instructed to leave the holding center. The notice states that the amount specified for 3 months for house rent will be provided in monthly installments to the bank account.

The displaced squatters are complaining that the 'ultimatum' of the government has further confused them. The displaced squatters living in the holding centers say that the new information has increased their anxiety and confusion while they are expecting the government to provide permanent management.

According to Indra Bahadur Thapa, who is living in the holding center in Nagarkot, Bhaktapur, on Tuesday, government employees filled out forms there as pressure to apply for relief money and leave the camp. ‘There was also a dispute while filling out the form, an employee from the administration had come, they have given an ultimatum to make their arrangements by Asad 12,’ Thapa said, ‘We are afraid that we will be stranded after three months.’ 

Girwanika Thapa, who is staying at the holding center in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, says that her concern about being stranded again has increased after receiving this information. ‘It is difficult to get a room as soon as we are told, even if we get a dormitory, it is difficult for us to manage in the current situation with 15,000 per month, what will we do if we are stranded again after three months? We are worried and terrified,’ she said. 

Sukum residents living in the holding center of the Nepal Red Cross Society Training Center in Budol, Banepa Municipality-6, Kavre, have said that it will be difficult to immediately leave the holding center and arrange for another residence. There are 45 families living in Banepa. Among them, Krishna Kumari Subba said that it is almost impossible to find a room within five days. 

‘We should be given at least one to two weeks. The information came today, we have to go out to look for a room from tomorrow, we have not decided where to go,’ she said. She expressed her grief that they, who were hoping that the government would provide land, are now forced to look for a rented room.

Toynath Ghimire, who is living in the holding center in Banepa, said that the current information has created more confusion as they are dependent on the government’s management. ‘We have no land, no place to go, we believed that the government would arrange safe accommodation, now we have been asked to look for a room, the concern of being stranded has increased,’ he said. Another displaced person, Lal Bahadur Limbu, also said that he has not received the relief money and that he has not found a suitable place even when looking for a room. ‘We have been looking for a room for a long time, we have not found one yet, there is no way that everyone will get a room within three to four days,’ he said.

Singh Bahadur Moktan, who is staying here, has urged the government to reconsider, saying that attempts are being made to vacate the holding center without sufficient time and clear arrangements for alternative accommodation. He said that ensuring a safe place to live is the main need of the hour, rather than providing relief money from the government.

Anand Singh Bhat, chairman of the empowered Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, said that it is not possible to keep the displaced in the holding center forever. “It is not possible to keep them in the holding center forever. Until there is a suitable alternative for land, they have been asked to live in a place of their choice by sending relief money of Rs 25,000 in their account initially and then Rs 15,000 for those who do not have land, and then sending them three months’ rent,” he said. He claims that the notice to vacate within five days was not issued suddenly. "We had been trying for a month and a half by sending bank employees to the camp to open accounts. Some did not cooperate in opening accounts, so we had to give them a short time because the budget was frozen in mid-Ashar," he said. "If it is not possible within 5 days, then 2-3 days can be extended with mutual understanding."

He said that the government is working as per the plan to manage the land for them within three months. "If it is not possible within the said period, necessary changes or additional arrangements will be made in the government's plan and decision," he said. He also said that data is being collected to identify the actual squatters and provide them with relief money. Stating that a 'Landless Problem Resolution Committee' has been formed to solve the problem, he said that further processes will be taken forward after identifying the actual squatters in the next three months.

The government has designated holding centers in 7 places in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Kavre for the squatters displaced after removing risky settlements along the river banks of the valley since 12 Baisakh. According to the committee, so far, 1,488 people from 388 houses are dependent on the holding center. The committee had earlier taken digital verification of 1,488 people from 388 families dependent on the holding center out of 2,608 displaced families.