Kathmandu: Nepal has once again raked up the border issue in Pithoragarh district by claiming three villages in the Kalapani area , raking up an issue that reared its head last year when Kathmandu published a new map showing India’s Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limipiyadhura as part of its territory.
The move comes in the context of the country’s ongoing census.
Nebin Lal Shresth, director general of Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal which is responsible for the population census, said while speaking to a leading Nepalese daily Kathamnadu Post: “The three villages are under Nepal’s territory but has a presence of Indian armed forces. Hence, there has to be an appropriate solution at the government level so that our team can go there for the population census.”
According to an officer of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) which mans the Indian side of the international border Nepal has no claim on the villages. “There is no question of allowing Nepalese authorities to go to the three villages for their census as they are Indian villages.”
“They fall in Indian territory and the residents there are Indian citizens. How can the Nepalese authorities carry a census in our area?,” added this officer who asked not to be named.
Mahendra Singh, Commandant SSB under whose command the area falls, said that the agency has , however, “given Nepalese authorities access to two of their border villages for the census.”
“The two villages named Changru and Tinkar fall in their territory only but the way to them goes through Indian territory. We have given the Nepalese officials permission to go to their villages from our territory as per norms and regulations. We have also strictly told them that they should only go to those areas for which permission has been granted,” said Singh.
“SSB is always on alert to stop any unauthorised entry from Nepal side to India while working in coordination with the counterparts in Nepal- Armed Police Force,” he added.
Relations between India and Nepal soured last year after India opened a road connecting Dharchula to Lipulekh to facilitate pilgrims going to Kailash Mansarovar. Both fall in Indian territory.
Following the development, Nepal’s parliament on June 18 passed a constitutional amendment under which it unanimously voted to endorse a new political map that showed Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepal. Hindustan Times
