KATHMANDU – Nepal’s young Prime Minister Balendra Shah on May 4 robustly defended his government’s drive to demolish informal settlements along Kathmandu’s riverbanks, dismissing criticism from human rights groups as fear-mongering while pledging permanent housing for displaced residents.
The 36-year-old leader, elected in March after rising from Kathmandu mayor, posted on social media that the April-launched operation adheres to the law and targets long-standing encroachments on public land like the Bagmati river and its tributaries. He stressed no one would be left homeless, countering UN rapporteur Balakrishnan Rajagopal’s warnings of forced evictions and Amnesty International’s claims of authoritarian overreach.
Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj reported 3,500 structures housing 25,000 people razed peacefully under heavy police watch, with residents hauling belongings amid uncertainty over jobs, food, and schooling. Of 1,816 registered squatter families, 794 have been shifted to holding centers, though activist Bhagwati Adhikari highlighted ongoing hardships.
The Supreme Court issued a show-cause order to the government that day following petitions, as Shah reiterated the moves aim at dignified housing solutions rather than evictions. Critics, including opposition voices, decry inadequate rehabilitation, echoing failed clearance attempts during Shah’s mayoral tenure.
This crackdown marks a bold early test for Shah’s administration, balancing urban cleanup with humanitarian concerns in Nepal’s crowded capital.