Biratnagar Metropolitan City, with the financial assistance from various social organisations and lawmakers, has initated the construction of an integrated settlement for 145 squatter families from the Dalit community.

“The construction of the integrated settlement kicked off with the financial support of Province 1 assembly member Kedar Karki, Biratnagar Metropolis, Habitat for Nepal, Sahara Nepal and some other social organisations in Biratnagar-12,” said Indira Karki, deputy mayor of Biratnagar.

The landless families, who had been staying in roadside huts in Biratnagar-12 for years, around six months ago had taken a loan from a financial institution to purchase three bighas and 16 katthas of land for the construction of the integrated settlement.

“We have been living on public land for generations. After we purchased the land, we requested the metropolis and the people’s representatives to help us build houses. I can’t wait to live in my own house,” said Shanti Devi Rishidev, a beneficiary.

Biratnagar Metropolitan City allocated Rs 8 million budget while Province 1 assembly member Karki, who is also the chief whip of Nepali Congress, provided Rs 10 million under the Constituency Infrastructure Special Programme for the construction of the integrated settlement. Habitat for Nepal, an NGO, has provided Rs 125,000 to each family for the house construction. Various other social organisations and people’s representatives have also donated money to build the integrated settlement.

Houses in the integrated settlement will have two bedrooms, a kitchen and a restroom.

“It is estimated that a total of Rs 58 million will be spent on the construction of the integrated settlement. The concerned government authorities have agreed to build roads to link the settlement and supply drinking water and electricity among other facilities to the settlement,” said Bijaya Prasad Gupta, an engineer at Habitat for Nepal.

Deputy Mayor Karki said that the construction work on the integrated settlement has been delayed due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Construction works will be completed by October. The new houses will be handed over to the landless families before Tihar, which falls in the first week of November this year,” Karki said.