The politics of slum dwellers
The problem of slum dwellers or sukumbashi in Nepal is a permanent problem created by the political parties. Moreover, this is the problem created by the communist parties. The communist parties had begun their politics with the slogan of providing a home to the homeless people; providing land to the landless people. By giving such an attractive slogan, the communists had started their politics and attracted votes.
In every city, the river banks and the government land are occupied by slum dwellers and staying illegally under the protection of different political parties.
Recently, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli constituted district level committees to resolve the slum dwellers’ problem, however, we believe, this is a move for distributing valuable government land or forest land to the party workers. The other reason for constituting committees was to recruit nearer and dearer ones by paying high salary and other facilities. We are sure that these district-level committees will not resolve the slum dwellers’ problem permanently. Even if the government will manage land for them free of cost, the new slum dwellers will appear.
Can we solve the problem?: Of course, we can solve this problem permanently if the government is keen to solve it. Distribution of land or handing over houses free of cost will never solve the problem. The government should teach them how to catch fishes rather than gifting them a fish. First, they should be given employment opportunity as per their qualification and capability. Then, the government should provide them with the house at a subsidized price on an installment basis. We have to teach them that nothing is free, we have to pay for it. If the habit of receiving everything free will be developed, we cannot make them self-reliant. The fund for constituting the Sukumbashi Commission and its offices in the districts should be invested in establishing different agriculture and industrial projects to give employment to the slum dwellers. In fact, the federal government should hand over the right to manage slum dwellers to the local governments.