Workshop on “Planning Inclusive City for the Urban Poor” concluded
The workshop on “Planning Inclusive City for the Urban Poor” was concluded on 15th of August 2012 with the proposed plan for the resettling of squatter settlements along the bank of the Bagmati River. Eighteen architects from Nepal, India, Thailand and Indonesia worked together for 10 days to propose a rehabilitation plan for communities along the Bagmati River. After close consultation and coordination with the people of the squatter settlements along Bagmati River in the Kathmandu valley and their federations, they came up with the concrete rehabilitation plan for all the 12 communities along the river bank. The workshop began on 6th August 2012.
Speaking on the Proposed Plan dissemination and closing of the workshop, Commissioner of Kathmandu Valley Town Development Authority Keshav Sthapit, talking about urbanization in Katmandu said, due to the trend of migration from different parts of the country, the infrastructures in the city has developed. Even the Kathmanduties gradually learn to live their life with differently, he added. He further said, more the migration in the city, more the development and this is the reality, we Kathmanduties should acknowledge this fact. Sharing his dream to develop Kathmandu, he said, for economic and social transformation in the city, we should welcome the people from outside as they are here to struggle for their better settlement in the city. During his remarks, he also suggested sharing the proposed plan to the government at the earliest and added, for its efficacy better lobby and regular follow up is essential.
Prior to the remarks from the guests, highlighting the objective of organizing the workshop, Executive Director of LUMANTI, Lajana Manandhar said, urbanization in Nepal is very high at around 6 per cent per annum. It has also contributed in the growth and expansion of the informal settlements in the cities and small towns. She further said, not only in Nepal, the issues of slum in the cities are very serious in all developing countries. Many of the countries had been facing the issues of slums long time before Nepal faced. A lot of international experiences are available to solve the issues. Forceful eviction is not the solution, she stressed.
Talking about the informal settlements, she said, people living in the informal settlements also have rights to the city as they are contributing in the economy of the city. She added, the concept of inclusive city has become very important. Thus those settlements need to be the integral part of every development planning. She further added, LUMANTI in close consultation and coordination with the people of such settlements with support from national and international architects have developed alternative plan as the proposal. We will be forwarding it for further discussion with all stakeholders including government and expect suggestions and comments from all for implementation, she urged.
Earlier, president of Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaaj Bimala Lama, welcoming the gathering said, we the people residing in the squatter settlements are not against the development provided the problems of the settlement should be properly addressed by the government. We highly welcome the plan from the government and also would like to propose our plan as alternative for further discussion, she added. Indicating the forceful eviction by the government, she said, we also do not wish to destroy the city but bulldozing the settlements does not enhance the beauty of the city either. The city without poor people impossible as they are one of the prime factor of economic development of the city, she added.
All the people gathered in the dissemination program highly appreciated and welcome the proposed alternative plans and recommended for immediate submission to the government for further discussion.
During the workshop, the highly experienced Community Architects from Thailand, India and Indonesia along with the young and enthusiastic Architects from Nepal worked with the communities and helped them to prepare the plans for their rehabilitation which aim to secure their existence in the city. Lots of visits, meetings and thinking have taken place for the communities to come up with the concrete and practical proposed plans.
Around 100 people representing the poor settlements, media professionals, and representatives from INGOs and NGOS, national and international architects including concern stakeholders participated in the program. A series of meeting is planned with the concerned government officials for dissemination of the proposed plans.