Chovar people stand against Prime Minister's decision

KIRTIPUR, May 14: Different political parties active in Kirtipur have challenged the government initiative to relocate the squatters in the land of Himal Cement Factory, Chovar.
The locals and representatives of political parties protested the government move to shift the squatters to Chovar and pledged to foil the government step.

The locals made such a commitment by organizing an interaction on Monday against the government move to shift the landless and squatters to land of Himal Cement Company at Kirtipur Municipality-13 and 14.

On Sunday, after visiting the bulldozed site of the squatters at Thapathali, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Chief of Kathmandu Town Development Authority Keshav Sthapit had promised to shift the squatters to Himal Cement Company and provide them with house in subsidy in the long run.

During the interaction, Kathmandu district chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Shishir Prasad Dhital said that 285 houses of Chovar area were acquired by the government while establishing the cement factory in 2023 BS.

Leader of Nepali Congress Rajan KC said that many people of the area were displaced in the past while establishing the factory and demanded that those displaced people should be returned in the land of the Himal Cement factory.

NC leader KC urged the locals of Chovar to be ready to challenge the government efforts to shift the squatters.

On the occasion, Maoist leader Panchalal Maharjan expressed confidence that the government plan would not be successful and added that they were ready for any sort of struggle against the government plan.

Similarly, journalist Kapil Kafle and Madan KC and others also urged locals to be united against the government plan.

Likewise, issuing a joint statement different organizations including Jalvinayak Region Development Center, Jalvinayak Community Forest Consumers´ Group and Environment Conservation Committee have protested the government plan to relocate the squatters and landless people.