Siraha, August 24
Lahan Municipality has demolished houses and makeshift structures in Naya Bazar using a bulldozer, saying it was forced to take action after traders failed to vacate the structures despite repeated notices.
However, traders in Naya Bazar have accused Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary of acting selectively. They said there are more than 200 houses and makeshift structures in the market, but the municipality demolished only seven, alleging that the action was discriminatory.
The municipality had issued a notice asking occupants to vacate the structures within three days. Local trader Ramsundar Sah said they had been preparing to clear the structures after receiving the notice, but the municipality brought in a bulldozer early Sunday morning without informing the market committee or traders.
Trader Saraswati Devi Nayak said she had been living in Naya Bazar for around 35 years and that the demolition had destroyed her chiura and murhi business.
“All the goods inside the house were destroyed. I have suffered losses worth hundreds of thousands of rupees. Who will take responsibility for this?” she asked.
Nayak claimed that although the market has many houses and makeshift structures, only their structures were demolished. She alleged that structures operated by people close to the mayor and his supporters were left untouched.
Bhola Rai, chairperson of the Lahan Naya Bazar Committee, said the municipality demolished the structures without coordinating with the market committee. According to him, an agreement had been reached around four years ago to remove the structures as part of efforts to manage the market.
Rai said the market committee also supports development and a well-managed market, but Mayor Chaudhary had backed away from the agreement at the time.
After the municipality issued a notice a few days ago asking traders to vacate the structures, the market committee had scheduled a meeting with traders for 8 am Sunday. However, Rai said the municipality brought in a bulldozer at around 7 am, before the meeting began, and demolished seven houses and makeshift structures.
According to Rai, police detained some traders after they attempted to stop the demolition. He said those detained after burning tyres in protest were later released.
Rai said the market committee was collecting details of traders who suffered losses during the demolition and would file complaints with the concerned authorities and seek compensation for them.
Mayor’s response
Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary said the municipality had built three buildings with 72 rooms on around two bighas of municipal land and planned to relocate Naya Bazar traders by renting out the rooms to them.
He said the old houses and makeshift structures were removed because construction of the new buildings had reached its final stage. Chaudhary said the municipality had used a bulldozer as a last resort after occupants failed to vacate the structures despite repeated notices.
Asked why only seven structures were demolished when there are hundreds of such structures in the market, Mayor Chaudhary said the remaining structures would also be removed once orders were received from higher authorities. Chaudhary denied allegations of discrimination in the demolition drive, saying that all illegal and old structures would be removed gradually.
What did the municipality’s three-day notice say?
Lahan Municipality had asked all individuals living or operating shops in houses and makeshift structures built on the land of Gudri Hatiya in Lahan Bazaar, Ward No. 5—from the entrance of the Nepal Water Supply Corporation, Lahan, to the Hanuman Temple—to remove their structures and shop goods and vacate the area within three days of the notice.
The municipality said it planned to construct new structures and relocate the traders. However, the affected traders have demanded a proper assessment of their losses and compensation.
The market committee has also said it is preparing to collect details of the losses and seek compensation by filing a complaint with the concerned authorities.
