Nepal, April 25 -- Authorities in Rautahat, Butwal and Pokhara are preparing to clear encroachments from public spaces, a move expected to displace hundreds of households and businesses.

In Chandrapur, Rautahat, the Bagmati Irrigation Project is preparing to demolish structures built along both sides of the canal in ward 5 of Chandrapur Municipality. According to project officials, nearly 400 houses and temporary shelters have been constructed along a roughly two-kilometre stretch of the canal.

Encroachment along the canal dates back to 1997, when people-many identifying themselves as landless squatters-began building huts. Over time, these makeshift settlements have transformed into permanent residential structures, including concrete ...