The hallowed social corridors of Nepal have been resonating with the voices for or against the present clearance of encroached public land underway in the country. Two persons have already committed suicide, one of them after stating that he would better give his life rather than see his house staggering down to the ground after being hit by the government dodger. There are several senior citizens falling sick due to the inability to take the routine medicine that has perished in the debris. The children also have begun falling sick and, more importantly, they have not been able to go to school due to their displacement from the original place of stay. On the other side of the spectrum, the clearance has exposed the mongers in the guise of landless people who were taking undue advantage by even constructing sheds and renting them out to the landless settlers. Many neighbours have heaved a sigh of relief after the removal of such settlements, which were eyesores for many due to the honky-tonk activities at times. Nobody would take their houses on rent as they were near a slum area. The sale of house and land was also difficult due to their location adjoining shanty settlements. Government officials have revealed the plan of leaving the river's right of way, creating a river corridor together with a beautiful garden in the remaining area after the debris is cleared. It has also attracted the attention of the Nepali diaspora. For instance, Dr. Ambika Adhikari, a former lecturer in the Department of Architecture at the Institute of Engineering and also a former country director of the International Union of Conservation of Nature in Nepal, now living in Arizona, the United States, has made a very enlightening slide presentation on social media highlighting the need of open areas through case studies of several cities around the world and its status quo in Kathmandu. A very good presenter and speaker, Dr. Adhikari has also suggested how the riverside could be developed into a pleasant and tranquil area. In addition, the emulation of the stone-stepped traditional ghats flanked by different temples would also inject the much-needed identity and spirit of the place. Such clearances are, however, not new to the country. Some of them have been successful while others have failed. One of the successful relocations carried out inside the country is the Kirtipur Housing Project, which was constructed after the eviction of the squatters living in slums along the Vishnumati River for the construction of the Vishnumati corridor road in 2001. The community resisted initially but demolished their houses voluntarily after receiving compensation to pay rent for some months and assurance by Lumanti, a non-government organization, as well as the Kathmandu municipality of suitable accommodation in the immediate future. Initially, there were 142 families, but the number of genuine landless families came down to 62. During the screening process, a further 22 families withdrew, leaving 40 families eligible for housing. The houses were designed in consultation with the communities. An exhibition of the design was held in 2004, and the construction was completed within a year, with residents moving in in December 2005. A fund was created with the generous contribution of the municipality and several other donors, which was used for buying the land for the housing. A building was constructed for each of the 40 families at Rs 350,000 each. For this, the owners had to pay Rs 2,000 per month after they were given loans at 5% interest payable in 15 years. Some 80% of them had paid the loan by June 2021. The settlers were largely happy although they said they would be happier if they were resettled near their original place. Several necessary facilities like pavement, water supply, electricity, sewerage treatment as well as water harvesting facility were also provided. One of the problems of our country is the lack of institutional memory and the necessary documentation. Such good practices were not followed in future circumstances. Consequently, the Thapathali settlement was evicted by Prime Minister Babu Ram Bhattarai in May 2012 by mobilising the police force in which about 25 people were wounded, including one suffering serious head injury. Housing was constructed at Ichangu Narayan for the slum dwellers, who refused to shift as it was far. This was a glaring example of unsuccessful slum evacuation. The clearance carried out presently has generated more controversies than the Thapathali episode. It should have made a study of the successful Kirtipur housing project before undertaking the clearance drive at Thapathali. People have appreciated the clearance initiative, though. Their disappointment is with its process which brought untold sufferings to the people. It should have entered into dialogue with the settlers before the clearance. The genuine and the fake landless families could have been easily identified. The demolition could be launched after accommodating the genuine landless persons in a suitable shelter. Instead, it first demolished the buildings on the encroached public land without holding any prior consultation. It then invited the affected families to register at the Dasarath Stadium. Some of them were put in holding centres and others in hotels and lodges, but all this after the damage was already done. It was like putting the cart before the horse, frustrating the people to the extent of even demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister whom they had voted with unprecedented enthusiasm just two months ago. The encroached public land has already been cleared. It has also put them in temporary accommodation. It should now create permanent housing. Housing should be integrated with suitable employment. The creation of mechanised agricultural farms, agriculture-based industries, and housing could be the way forward for bringing smiles back again to the tearful faces.