325 families identified as landless in Pokhara Bus Park area

Pokhara: The final list of landless Dalits, landless squatters and unorganised settlers living in the proposed Pokhara Bus Park area has been finalised.

According to Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, a total of 325 families have been identified as landless, including 144 landless Dalit families and 181 landless squatter families. Another 242 families have been listed as unorganised settlers.

The list was finalised after claims and objections were received and the applications were investigated and verified by the ward-level facilitation committee.

The ward committee has endorsed the committee’s report and forwarded it to the metropolitan city with recommendations. The metropolitan executive is preparing to discuss the report and send its recommendation to the district committee this week.

Mayor Acharya said the relocation and management of the settlements in the bus park area could begin from next week, once the necessary procedures are completed.

He said the metropolitan city would coordinate with all concerned agencies to ensure the systematic relocation and proper management of the affected families.

The proposed bus park site at Prithvi Chowk, Pokhara Metropolitan City-9, was acquired in 2032 BS for construction of a modern bus park. However, the project could not move ahead for nearly five decades due to encroachment and other reasons.

The metropolitan city has recently removed commercial shutters from the bus park area and plans to construct a well-equipped bus park with support from donor agencies after clearing and managing the existing settlements.