KATHMANDU:- Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said that the government’s ongoing management of encroached areas along riverbanks and public land in the Kathmandu Valley is intended to ensure long-term solutions, not to displace citizens.
In a post on social media site Facebook, the Prime Minister noted that various interpretations and comments have emerged regarding the process, including attempts to create fear among landless and informally settled communities about possible eviction. He said the government has taken such developments seriously.
To facilitate a lasting solution, the government has repealed certain provisions of the Land Act 1964 through an ordinance, removing legal barriers that had hindered progress. Following this, a digital registration process has begun to identify and verify genuine landless citizens, with the aim of building a transparent and reliable database.
PM Shah stated that citizens currently living in high-risk areas will be relocated to safer and more organized settlements. For other landless individuals, decisions will be taken based on recommendations from the concerned commission and verified data.
He clarified that the government’s steps are not intended to evict people but to uphold the right to housing and address the issue in a structured and sustainable manner.
The Prime Minister also urged the public not to be misled by unverified information or unnecessary panic, and called on citizens to refrain from spreading rumors.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Shah said that every landless citizen will be ensured safe, dignified, and permanent housing, and that no one will be left homeless as a result of the process.