JHAPA: Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Balen Shah has listened to the grievances of landless settlers in Jhapa–5, assuring them that actions seen in Kathmandu will not be repeated there.
During an interaction with residents of a landless settlement in Kamal Rural Municipality on Tuesday morning, Shah responded to concerns that bulldozers might be used in the area as they were in Kathmandu. He clarified that such action would not take place in Jhapa.
Answering questions from voters, Shah said the use of bulldozers in Kathmandu was aimed at protecting landless settlements from flood risks. “I used bulldozers in Kathmandu to save landless settlers from floods. That will not happen here,” he told locals.
Shah stressed that the issue of landless people living along riverbanks should be addressed through proper documentation and legal processes. He said data on such settlements should be collected by the Land Commission, after which local governments should recommend eligible households for land ownership certificates.
Speaking more broadly on the issue, Shah said landless settlers living outside riverbanks should receive land ownership certificates through recommendations from local governments, based on records prepared by the Land Commission.
He also criticized the existing system, alleging political influence within the Land Commission. “There is a trend of people affiliated with political parties going to the Land Commission with party backing. Those close to parties end up receiving multiple land certificates, while those who have never had one may never get it,” Shah said.
Calling for systemic reform, he said the current process is unjust and needs to be corrected to ensure fairness for genuine landless citizens.
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