KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has launched a campaign to rescue homeless and vulnerable people from the streets as part of its initiative to make the capital free of street-dependent individuals in need of support.
The operation is being carried out in coordination with Nepal Police, Manav Sewa Ashram, local communities and municipal authorities. It focuses on rescuing people living on the streets who are ill, physically or mentally disabled, elderly, or without family support.
On the first day of the campaign, Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol, singer Ani Choying Drolma, Manav Sewa Ashram Chair Ramji Adhikari, officials from the Metropolitan Police and Nepal Police participated in a nighttime rescue operation in the Pashupati area.
The team rescued six people from Pashupati, including a 65-year-old man from Nuwakot, three men aged 50, 48 and 41 from Ramechhap, and two men aged 48 and 50 from Kavrepalanchok. Three were found to be in normal health, while one was using a urinary catheter, another had undergone a leg amputation, and one was receiving treatment for tuberculosis.
The rescue team later moved to Kalimati, where it rescued two men from Kavrepalanchok, aged 86 and 50, both of whom were reported to be in normal condition. On Thursday, another elderly man, believed to be around 60 years old and identifying himself as being from Dhading, was also rescued from the Teku area.
To coordinate the rescue, treatment and rehabilitation process, KMC has formed a high-level coordination committee chaired by Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain. The committee includes representatives from the District Administration Office, Guthi Sansthan, the Pashupati Area Development Trust, Nepal Police and Manav Sewa Ashram, while the head of KMC’s Social Development Department serves as member secretary.
A separate task force led by an officer designated by the Metropolitan Police has also been formed to oversee assessment, rescue, protection and family reunification. The team will conduct field assessments, rescue operations, health screenings, facilitate medical treatment and support family and social reintegration.
Rescue operations will be conducted daily from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Speaking during the campaign, Acting Mayor Dangol said not everyone found begging on the streets is in genuine need of assistance, noting that some have turned begging into a profession while others have ended up on the streets because of addiction or family disputes.
“We have launched this campaign to assess each individual’s condition and provide support according to their needs,” she said. “After the rescue, we will identify their circumstances, provide health check-ups, psychosocial counseling and other necessary services, and ensure they are managed in a humane manner.”
Dangol added that maintaining discipline would be an essential part of rehabilitation, saying that whether at home or in a shelter, everyone must follow basic rules and remain accountable to their families, society and the broader community.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City said it has intensified its campaign to make the capital free of street-dependent people through coordinated efforts involving its Social Development Department, Metropolitan Police, Manav Sewa Ashram, Nepal Police, ward offices and local residents.
