Birtamod Municipality bulldozes huts at Budhabare Hatiya

By Our Correspondent,Birtamod, May 23: The Birtamod Municipality has demolished scores of huts at Budhabare Hatiya, using a number of bulldozers on Monday.

Previously, the municipality had issued multiple public notices regarding the construction of a commercial building in that area, which would be funded 90 per cent by the City Development Fund. However, the local businessmen present there refused to vacate the premises, demanding proper alternative arrangements for them.

The municipality plans to construct two-storey commercial buildings at an estimated cost of Rs. 500 million, and had issued a notification to clear approximately 200 huts spreading in an area of 1 bigha and 2 kattha land.

Despite repeated requests from the municipality to remove their shops, the traders refused to remove their shops, leading the municipality to employ bulldozers to remove the crude structures.

In response, the local businessmen agitated and resorted to stone pelting, damaging one of the bulldozers. To control the situation, a significant number of security personnel were deployed to the market area on Monday.

Prakash Siwakoti, Senior Vice President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Birtamod, along with Raju Neupane, President of the Nepal Indigenous Federation, Jhapa Pandav Lal Chaudhary, and others, attempted to stop the bulldozers for a while by climbing onto them. However, when the eight bulldozers began demolishing the market, the businessmen failed in their attempt.

The district, armed, and city police have been deployed in the market area. The demolition started from the east side, with a bulldozer being employed. As the municipality accelerated the speed of the bulldozer, the remaining traders hastily removed their goods from the market.

Prior to this incident, the municipality had issued evacuation notices repeatedly, and warning shots were fired two days ago.