Kathmandu. Pokhara—The Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) is looking for land to relocate the landless Dalit and landless squatters living in Pokhara Bus Park area.

The committee formed on May 26 has been carrying out on-site study of possible lands in the metropolis, said ward chair Radhika Shahi Yogi, coordinator of the committee.

She said, “We are searching for land as per the responsibility given to the committee and we will submit the report to the metropolis within the stipulated timeframe.”

The members of the committee are KMC ward no 9 chair Dipendra Marsani, ward no 19 chair Toran Baniya, ward no 14 chair Bodhraj Karki, ward-25 acting chair Dhana Pokharel, metropolis survey section chief Sita Karki and administrative officer Tikaram Bajgain.

According to KMC, the committee has been assigned the responsibility to study the land within ten working days and submit a report to the metropolis. The metropolis has come up with a plan to construct a bus park with modern facilities by vacating the encroached land of the bus park area. A total of 572 landless and squatter families are residing on the bus park land.

The metropolis has also forwarded the task of checking the details of landless and squatters living on the land of the bus park and ascertaining the facts. The metropolis is preparing to vacate the encroached land of the bus park by shifting the genuine landless squatters to other places.

The metropolis and Pokhara Valley Town Development Committee have issued a notice to remove all structures including shops and blankets inside the bus park area. The Pokhara Valley Town Development Committee on May 26 had issued a notice directing the authorities to vacate such structures within 15 days.

The committee has asked the government to remove the structures from Pokhara Ghar to Seti Bridge, south of Prithvi Highway, north and east of the airport along the Seti River area. If the structures are not removed within the stipulated time, the committee would remove the structures themselves and the cost incurred in that course would also be recovered from the concerned person and institution.

Although 205 ropanis of land was acquired in 2032 BS for the construction of the bus park, it has not yet been constructed. According to the KMC, the land owned by the Pokhara Valley Town Development Committee has been encroached upon and is limited to around 60 ropanis of land.