KATHMANDU: An elderly couple, along with their mentally ill son, is currently living under difficult conditions at the Kirtipur holding center in Wansighat after being displaced from the Thapathali riverside settlement.
The couple, 67-year-old Pushpa Kasai and her husband, are surviving in hardship, relying on limited food and basic shelter support at the center.
Originally from Udayapur, Pushpa moved to Lalitpur after marriage and spent years working in small businesses and daily wage labor to support her family. The couple lived in rented rooms for years before moving to the Thapathali settlement due to financial difficulties.
She said their situation worsened over time as their children could not provide support. One son has gone missing, while another suffers from mental illness and lives with them. Their eldest son is also reportedly mentally unwell and away from the family.
After losing their rented accommodation and later their small roadside business following eviction drives, the family lived in a temporary shelter in Thapathali for around 20 years before being moved to the holding center in Kirtipur.
Pushpa, who suffers from asthma and high blood pressure, said access to proper food and medical care has been difficult at the center. She also complained that meals are provided only once in the morning, forcing them to rely on leftover food for the rest of the day.
She further said that lack of cooking gas and basic facilities has added to their suffering.
Pushpa also expressed concern about being excluded from social security allowances due to an official error in her age record, despite being eligible for elderly benefits.
She added that she has no contact with her children or relatives, leaving her without any family support.
The holding center currently houses families displaced from informal settlements in the Kathmandu Valley following eviction drives.
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