DEHRADUN: The no-man’s land area at the India-Nepal international border at Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand is in the grip of encroachment. Moreover, in several places, pillars are missing besides agricultural practices taking place.
According to official sources, a meeting was held recently over the issue. “Taking cognizance of the matter in a recent meeting of the Lead Intelligence Agency (LIA), it has been decided that concrete action will be taken in the first week of November.”
“The initiative was taken by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) which along with officials of the revenue, forest and irrigation department will conduct a joint survey of no-man’s land of both the countries,” Khatima Sub Divisional Magistrate Ravindra Singh Bisht told this newspaper.
“Though the encroachments are temporary and people from Nepal are practicing farming, it cannot be denied that such encroachment in the border area is a serious issue as per international border security rules,” Bisht said.
Nepal shares an international border of 1,751 km with five states—Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Sikkim. The border with Nepal in Uttarakhand extends from Dharchula in Pithoragarh district to the border of Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh for 275 km.
In 1950, the Indo-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty was signed for the free movement of citizens of both countries. With this the border became “unique” as people from both countries can cross it from any point, Narayan Bhatt, a litterateur based in Banbasa of Champawat district said.
Banbasa Block Congress president Gajendra Samanta criticised the move by Nepalis to cultivate on the Indian side, but said, “Our families also have age-old ties with Nepali families”.
According to locals, the land near the border at Nagra Terai, Melaghat in Khatima villages and falling under Tarai east forest, is now being inhabited and encroached by Nepalis. Till a few years ago, this land was totally forested and remained uninhabited.
Moreover, there were reports of some tensions between locals and Nepalis in Dharchula and Banbasa areas, locals said.