Squatters living in Thapathali along the Bagmati river continued their protest on Tuesday against the attempts by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to oust them from the area.

They organised a rally carrying placards with slogans against the municipal office and Mayor Balendra Shah.

Earlier today, they picketed the metropolis office denouncing the eviction drive being carried out "without a proper alternative".

At least 21 people were injured following a clash between the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police personnel and squatters on Monday. Metropolitan police personnel and Bagmati River Basin Development Project officials had arrived at the squatters’ settlement to evict them from the area.

The Bagmati River Basin Development Project Committee had issued a notice to vacate the area.

Right after the high-powered committee issued the notice on November 11, issuing an ultimatum to vacate the area, a large number of squatters marched from Maitighar to New Baneshwar on November 18, protesting the ultimatum. The committee has been implementing the $78.80 million Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project since April 2014. The project has a completion date of May 2025.

According to the committee, at present, as many as 34,096 squatter families are living on the banks of the Bagmati river. Because of the eviction notice, more than 900 squatters around the Thapathali settlement have been living in fear.