Kohalpur Municipality begins action to remove encroached structures

Banke, May 9: Kohalpur Municipality in Banke has started the process of removing structures built on public and government land without official permission.

According to the municipality, encroachment has been found on around 36 bighas of land, particularly in areas near the local cricket ground, where about 751 families are currently residing.

Mayor Purna Prasad Acharya said the municipality has begun identifying genuine landless families, including Dalits and squatters, while also addressing cases of possible illegal occupation. He added that around 60 verified landless families have already been contacted, and a temporary shelter has been arranged at a holding centre.

The affected group includes 416 unregulated settlers, 172 landless Dalits and 163 landless squatters, according to municipal records.

Mayor Acharya also expressed concern over reported irregularities such as fake documents and illegal land transactions, which are now under investigation.

To manage the process, the municipality has formed a records management committee to assess household conditions, financial status, and ownership of land in other locations.

Officials said that although 751 households had submitted applications last year, only 153 landless Dalits and 141 landless squatters were verified as genuine beneficiaries after initial screening.