KATHMANDU, Oct 8: Nepal has proposed removing illegal structures built on no-man’s land along the Nepal-India border.
During the fifth Eminent Persons Group (EPG) meeting that concluded on Sunday in Kathmandu, Nepali side made the proposal to maintain international standards and ensure scientific management of the border between the two countries.
“No man’s land has been encroached from Indian side. Nepali side has also found to have encroached the ‘no-man’s land’ in some places,” said a member of the EPG from Nepal side Dr Rajan Bhattarai. He said that the Nepali side has proposed removing illegal structures along the border in line with the existing international standards.
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While Nepal-India share border disputes in different places, the illegal structures built along the no-man’s land have also caused dispute between the two countries.
The head of the EPG from Nepal, Bhekh Bahadur Thapa said that they have proposed making the border further secure.
Thapa said that Nepal-India border needs to be regulated, not closed, to stop illegal activities along the bordering areas. “We need to understand the definition of open border of the past in the changed context. Both sides have stepped back from the traditional concept of ‘openness’,” he said while addressing a press meeting organized on Sunday.
The Nepali side had put forth all issues of contention including 1950 peace and friendship treaty with the Indian side during the two-day EPG meeting held in Kathmandu. Since they have not yet reached to any conclusion yet, it is not appropriate to bring the issue to public, according to EPG members from Nepal.
Thapa said they have yet to reach agreement on whether to replace or amend the 1950 treaty with India or not. “We are all convinced that this will remain in the status quo. We would not wait for 70 years if this was to be scrapped altogether. This is the reason why we have chosen the path for the improvement,” he further said.
