KATHMANDU: CPN-UML lawmaker Guru Prasad Baral has accused the government led by Balen Shah of continuing inhumane treatment toward squatters displaced from Kathmandu Valley and other areas.
Speaking during the emergency hour of Wednesday’s House of Representatives meeting, Baral criticized the government for removing squatters without ensuring sustainable rehabilitation arrangements.
“Just yesterday, the government made a serious mistake. It displaced squatters without arranging sustainable housing,” Baral said.
He questioned the practicality of the government’s announcement to provide Rs 15,000 to each affected family during the months of Jestha, Asar, and Shrawan.
“How can a family survive in Kathmandu on around Rs 100 a day?” he asked.
Baral described the eviction campaign as an “inhumane attack” against squatters and claimed that families were forcibly removed from temporary settlements.
He also alleged that displaced people faced inhumane treatment inside holding centers established for temporary shelter.
The UML lawmaker further argued that the government’s plan to provide Rs 25,000 for rehabilitation without proper planning would only deepen the difficulties faced by squatters.
According to Baral, the government’s handling of the issue has further humiliated vulnerable and displaced communities already struggling with hardship.
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