Home Minister for special border security arrangement

Kathmandu - Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has said that the border dispute between Nepal and India could be resolved through bilateral understanding and diplomatic initiative. Speaking at the parliamentary state affairs committee today, he said the foreign ministry could resolve the problems through bilateral discussion. Calling for special border security arrangement, the Home Minister said a permanent mechanism needs to be set up to deal with border-related issues in a long-term manner.

"The neighbour however is pursuing a policy of border encroachment and working to uproot or move the border pillars." Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Aryal said the government has been carrying out regular border inspection and monitoring work. A study is being carried out on the status of the border pillars. Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi shared that the Border Monitoring Committee formed last November has come up with a report.

He added discussion would be held in a small group over the border related problems in days ahead. The Committee welcomed the government’s decision of opening only 10 border points in order to control COVID-19. Committee Chair Shashi Shrestha said that COVID-19 has not only created problems, but also created opportunities. She opined that the government could make organize border management in a better way after coronavirus pandemic.

She further said that it was necessary to stop movement of people except patients in ambulance. Committee members—Lalbabu Yadav, Pampha Bhusal, Rajendra Shrestha, Debendra Raj Kandel, among others said that record of people entering Nepal from different border points should be kept. The International Border Committee, also comprising residents of Kanchanpur had briefed the government about the border problems and measures to resolve it in the committee meeting today.