KATHMANDU: As part of the government’s plan to remove unauthorized squatter settlements and encroachments along riverbanks in the Kathmandu Valley, bulldozers have been deployed in the Satta Tole area of Kapan.

Local authorities have taken action to clear structures built on public land and within the river flow zone at Satta Tole in Kapan, which lies along the border of Budhanilkantha Municipality and Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Temporary huts as well as permanent structures that had long occupied the riverbanks have been demolished using bulldozers. In anticipation of possible tension or obstruction, a large number of municipal police and Nepal Police personnel have been deployed in the area.

The Kapan area has previously witnessed repeated disputes over drainage and river management issues. With demolition work beginning on Monday, uncertainty has spread among local residents and those living along the riverbanks. Some have protested, claiming they are being evicted without alternative arrangements.