SC orders eviction of squatters from riverbanks with compensation

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the eviction of squatters occupying government land along riverbanks in Kathmandu, even if it requires providing them with financial compensation.

A joint bench of Justices Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Binod Sharma issued the order, mandating the identification of genuine squatters and their relocation to the housing units constructed in Ichangu Narayan.

If these units prove insufficient, additional housing should be constructed elsewhere.

The order further stipulates that genuine squatters who do not wish to relocate and lack immediate alternative arrangements should be given cash relief to facilitate their eviction and the clearance of the encroached land.