Nepal, India Agree to Survey Cross-Border Land Occupation

Kathmandu / Aug. 15: Nepal and India have agreed to survey land along their border that is currently being occupied and used by citizens of the other country. The two countries reached an agreement to investigate and measure land being used across the international boundary.

The agreement follows remarks by Prime Minister Balendra Shah that India is not the only country encroaching on Nepali territory, but that Nepali citizens are also occupying Indian land. Following the Prime Minister’s remarks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement clarifying the matter.

According to the ministry, the situation has arisen because the Nepal-India boundary was delineated under the principle of a fixed boundary, with rivers used as reference points in determining parts of the border. As a result, instances of “cross-border occupation” have occurred, with citizens of one country cultivating land or residing on territory that falls within the other country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said work is underway to systematically and scientifically map the two countries’ long border, including the construction and maintenance of boundary pillars. Efforts are also being made to remove encroachments from the Das Gaja (no-man’s-land) area and compile records of cross-border occupation.

Based on studies conducted by technical committees, the ministry said that in some locations, land currently being used by Nepali citizens may fall on the Indian side of the border, while land being used by Indian citizens may fall on the Nepali side.

The ministry clarified that Prime Minister Shah’s statement in Parliament was related to such instances of cross-border occupation. The two countries have agreed to survey the land involved in these cases.

The agreement was reached at the 13th meeting of the Survey Officials’ Committee (SOC), which concluded in Lucknow, India, on Friday.

According to an official of Nepal’s Survey Department, citizens of both countries have been occupying and using land across the border. The two sides have agreed to use technology to survey such land and submit a report to their respective governments within three years, the official said.

However, the survey will not cover the territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, according to officials.

The Nepal-India boundary was established in several areas using river courses as the basis. As many rivers have changed their courses over the years, thousands of hectares of land have effectively shifted from one side of the boundary to the other. This has periodically led to disputes between citizens of the two countries.

The SOC and Joint Field Survey Teams will survey such areas where changes in the river courses have affected the location of the boundary. The report resulting from the survey is expected to help both countries address border-related issues more effectively.

The Nepal-India Survey Officials’ Committee was established in 2014 following an agreement between the Prime Ministers of the two countries to support border management and the construction and maintenance of boundary pillars. The Boundary Working Group and Joint Field Survey Teams were also established as part of the mechanism. The Survey Officials’ Committee serves as a second-tier mechanism.

The committee also decided to implement decisions and reports prepared by the Boundary Working Group. The two sides further reached agreement on the committee’s work plan and annual budget during the meeting.

According to the Survey Department, a total of 8,554 boundary pillars have so far been installed along the Nepal-India border, of which 1,325 are reported missing.