January 30: The locals and various organizations of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) have decried the ways Mayor Balendra Shah is functioning. They blamed Mayor Shah of carrying out illegal works and atrocities.    
A peaceful assembly was organized by the disgruntled locals in a bid to warn KMC to immediately stop the atrocities meted out with illegal and haphazard works. The activities initiated by KMC were launched without alternative, resulting in public ire and agony, they said.    

The demonstrators at Maitighar Mandala sported placards reading, ‘stop dozer terror’, ‘don’t evacuate people while expanding road’, ‘ensure rights to indigenous people’, ‘adhere to constitutional rights of citizens’, ‘KMC, stop atrocities’ etc. They said that Mayor Shah arbitrarily mobilized dozer on citizen’s property.    
Central chair of the valley road expansion affected people’s struggle committee, Suman Sayami, said although Shah was elected with the aim of doing good to the city, his working style is against the people. So, the locals are forced to stage sit-in.    
Sayami, who was also one of the contenders against Shah in the local level election, informed that the vigilance assembly was held to exert pressure on the KMC Mayor Shah to stop illegal works.    

If the works such as bulldozing personal property continues, the protest programmes would flare up, he warned. Various organizations including Jyapu Mahaguthi Nepal joined the protest. -- RSS