Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
Nepal and India have agreed to complete the mapping of cross-border land occupation within three years. This is opening a new phase in efforts to address a long-standing technical issue along their 1,880-kilometer boundary.
The agreement was reached at the 13th meeting of the Survey Officials’ Committee (SOC) in Lucknow. Under the plan, the two sides will use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to collect aerial images and assess areas where citizens of one country cultivate or reside on land located across the border. Joint survey work is expected to begin around September or October, after the monsoon season.
The issue is linked largely to changes in river courses along parts of the Nepal-India border. The Fixed Boundary Principle used in riverine areas has contributed to situations where changing rivers have altered the physical landscape, leaving land on one side of the boundary being used by people from the other country.
The technical survey is intended to establish a clearer picture of the extent of such occupation. Officials say the aerial imagery will be jointly analyzed to develop a common understanding of the situation. The findings could provide technical information for future decisions by the two governments.
The issue gained wider attention after Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah referred to instances of land being occupied across the border. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry subsequently clarified that the reference concerned cross-border occupation and use of land, rather than a territorial claim.
The latest three-year target follows earlier efforts to complete technical boundary work. Nepal and India established the Boundary Working Group (BWG) in 2014 to address issues including boundary pillars, records, and other technical matters. Previous deadlines for completing related work were not met due to funding constraints, the Covid-19 pandemic, boundary disputes, and adverse weather conditions.
The new agreement does not resolve broader territorial disputes, including Susta and Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh. Instead, it focuses on documenting and mapping cross-border occupation.
Its significance will ultimately depend on whether the two sides can complete the survey consistently and use the findings to support mutually agreed administrative decisions.
