Lalitpur, March 27

Squatters of Chhampi, Lalitpur, today launched a protest, demanding land ownership certificates.

Some 300 squatters have been residing in Chhampi-9 for many years now, but they have yet to get ownership certificate of the land they have been using for generations.

Bal Kumari Nagarkoti, 67, a squatter, shared that her house was destroyed in the earthquake and her name was registered in the list of earthquake victims but due to lack of land ownership certificate she was deprived of the housing grant.

She further said, “Though we have been living here for years, we are deprived of the facility given by the government.”

Another local Uddhav Bista said nearly 300 families had been living on a Guthi land for years and now they were demanding that the land be transferred in their names. Bhim Prashad Aryal, chief at Land Revenue Office said without the government’s decision the office could not do anything. “As per the government’s decision, we have provided land ownership certificates to 150 families,other 300 earthquake victims will be given land ownership certificate soon,” he added.