Dhangadhi, Apr. 27: Landless Settlers of Hasuliya and Ratnapur VDCs and Basanta area in Kailali district Monday picketed the district Landless Settlers Problem Resolution committee office throughout the day demanding that land should be provided to them as they are genuine landless settlers.

The landless settlers numbering about 200 demanded that land which they are already using be distributed to them.

It is said that only about 24 percent of those who have encroached upon land in Ratanpur and Hasuliya VDCs and Basanta area are genuine landless settlers.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the commission held recently has formed a genuine landless settlers identification committee in every VDC under the chairmanship of the VDC chairman with representatives from the political parties recognised as national parties.

Land will be distributed progressively following notification from such committees to the commission about the genuine landless settlers identified, district convenor of the commission Deergharaj Bhat said.

A recommendation has been made to the concerned bodies for the termination of land owner certificates as the previous commission has been found to have engaged in irregular distribution of some 46 biga of land. The number of landless settlers in the district is expected to be about 10,000.