Kathmandu. The problem of landless landless squatters has been resolved after the Jaimini municipality of Baglung provided land ownership certificates along with houses and land to the landless squatters. The municipality has handed over the land ownership certificates to 18 squatter families who were identified as squatters.

Deputy Mayor of the municipality, Harihar Sharma, said initiatives were initiated to address the problems of landless squatters since his previous term. According to him, although all the squatter families have got houses, land ownership certificates, the process to formally declare the municipality as landless squatter is yet to be completed through the National Land Commission.

Stating that it was the responsibility of the state to provide safe housing to the citizens, the municipality has been identifying the landless squatters, purchasing land, constructing houses and distributing land ownership certificates accordingly, he said.

The municipality has also constructed houses for 44 families displaced due to natural disasters and those who could not build their houses due to financial crunch.

For this, the municipality has provided Rs 300,000 to the homeless families, Rs 250,000 to the families who lost their houses due to the disaster and Rs 200,000 to the families who have not been able to reconstruct their houses due to financial crunch, said Sharma.

In the first phase, houses were constructed for families who had no houses for three generations. In the second phase, the municipality has constructed houses for those dependent families who could not stay in their own houses due to disaster or financial problems.

Usha Nepali, a local who got the house, said that the support from the municipality has removed the worries about a place to live permanently. “When we were in trouble, the municipality built the house. Now it is felt that the problems of the poor and destitute have also been addressed. She said, “After getting a house, the rest of the needs can be fulfilled by working hard.” ’