Land Commission urges local levels not to intervene in landless settlement

The National Land Commission has said works are going on to collect and verify details of landless Dalits, landless squatters and those residing unsystematically. According to Commission Vice-Chair and Spokesperson Nahendra Khadka, though such works were suspended for a certain time with the enforcement of the Election Code of Conduct, they will resume very soon.

The Commission has urged all the local levels including the Kathmandu Metropolis and the government and non-government offices not to intervene in the settlement of Dalits and landless squatters, and not to take or cause any move capable of making them unsafe until the works to distribute land registration certificates to the target groups get over.

It has urged local levels which have earlier issued a 35-day public notice in the national daily to collect the details of such people to act in accordance with the consensus reached between the Commission and them. The Commission mentioned that it and local levels, not all, have earlier agreed to manage the landless, Dalits and people residing unsystematically through due process.

The Commission formed in accordance with the Land Act 1964 remains the government entity to provide land to the landless Dalits and squatters and to systematize haphazard settlement.