KATHMANDU, Sept 25: After the fall of the KP Oli-led government following the Gen-Z movement, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) reportedly presented two of his expectations to the interim government, led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, according to sources.
In the current political scenario, the public still seeks a follow-up investigation into the issue of fake Bhutanese refugees. Balen’s first expectation is that this investigation be reopened, and that party leaders suspected of involvement be brought under scrutiny and held accountable.
Sources claim that Balen had even pushed for the reappointment of Police Additional Inspector General (AIG) Manoj KC to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to ensure that some high-profile individuals named in the fake Bhutanese refugee case are properly investigated.
KC had previously led the investigation into the fake Bhutanese refugee case. Former Home Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) leader Bal Krishna Khand was arrested based on KC’s investigation while KC was head of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office (KVCIO). However, KC was not the only officer involved; he was assisted by then AIG Shyam Gyawali of the KVCIO.
Currently, former Deputy Prime Minister and CPN-UML leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and former Secretary Teknarayan Pandey remain in jail over the case, while Khand has been released on bail. Following Bechan Jha’s arrest in June 2024, the two major parties, NC and UML, formed a government. The CPN (Maoist Centre) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) alleged that the government formation was driven by fear that evidence implicating top leaders would emerge.
Recently, AIG KC, who took charge of the CIB last Wednesday, was reportedly instructed by Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal to review the fake Bhutanese refugee files and finalize the outcomes.
The case allegedly involved several high-profile figures, including former Home Minister and UML Vice-Chair Ram Bahadur Thapa’s security advisor Indrajit Rai, Thapa’s son Pratik, and Aang Tawa Sherpa. Accusations were also made against former NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba.
Balen’s second expectation is that the Karki-led government should support the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s (KMC) plan to remove squatter settlements across the capital. A Gen-Z representative close to Balen said he is preparing to remove these settlements, as the previous government had not cooperated when the KMC sought assistance from the Home Ministry.
“It is a plan to remove the homeless settlements within KMC. Since the interim government is going to hold elections, discussions will be held with the Home Ministry to remove the homeless settlements from the city beforehand,” said a Gen-Z representative close to Balen.
Balen had previously met with former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in January 2023 to seek support for removing the homeless settlements, but the plan failed due to a lack of cooperation.
According to data from the High Powered Committee for Integrated Development of Bagmati Civilization (HPCIDBC), there are 3,496 informal households along riverbanks in the Kathmandu Valley. Of these, 2,245 are located in KMC, making it the district with the highest number of informal settlements among the valley’s three districts.
The HPCIDBC study details the distribution across wards:
Ward 10 – 40 households in Devinagar, 36 in Shanti Binayak, 150 in Shankhamul
Ward 11 – 143 in Thapathali, 193 in Banshighat
Ward 4 – 6 in Dhumbarahi, 14 in Baluwatar
Ward 3 – 147 in Khadi Pakha, 32 in Narayantole, 10 in Ranibari
Ward 29 – 23 in Anamnagar
Ward 14 – 401 in Balkhu
Ward 32 – 114 in Jadibuti Chowk
Ward 16 – 75 in Buddhajyoti
Ward 2 – 19 in Dhikure
Ward 31 – 476 in Shantinagar
Ward 26 – 35 in Sangamtol
Ward 9 – 162 in Sinamangal/Gairigaun
Ward 15 – 46 in Swayambhu
Despite repeated attempts, the removal of these informal households has largely failed. Balen, however, is reportedly taking initiatives to remove all such settlements from KMC.