India to reconstruct pillars on India-Nepal border

A senior Indian security official Monday said India will take the initiative for the reconstruction of damaged border pillars on the India-Nepal border.

In the course of an inspection at Indo-Nepal border in Kanchanpur district in far west Nepal, chief at the Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB) of India, Pilibhit sector, DIG K.P. Singh said India has planned to carry out repair and maintenance of the border pillars.

A recent meeting of surveyor generals of Nepal and India held in Kathmandu also agreed to reconstruct the damaged pillars, erect the missing ones and clear the Dash Gaja or no man's land area. The SSB is guarding the border on the Indian side and Nepal's Armed Police Force on the Nepali side.

Singh said: "The border security office should prepare a report regarding the damaged border pillars and it should be sent to the higher bodies. We have prepared a report along with all pictures of pillars on the border area of our country and we will submit it to the body concerned."

The India-Nepal border often causes headaches for officials from both sides as hundreds of such pillars need to be reconstructed and re-erected.

Singh expressed commitment to raise the issue of reconstruction of Pillar No.6 at Bhujel, which was swept away by the Mahakali river, in the DIG-level meeting between Nepal and India scheduled after three months.

He further said: "It would be better if Nepali officials raise the issue in the meeting. I will take the maximum initiative from my side."

Singh also urged Nepali border security officials to submit a report after carrying out a study of all pillars along the border areas.

He said repair and maintenance work of border pillars in Kanchanpur district would be initiated soon with the understanding of the two countries if Kanchanpur submits the report. Local administrations of Nepal and India should finalise it along with the report for the same, he added.

More than one dozen border pillars in different border areas in the district have been lost or are in dilapidated condition.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)

--Indfo-Asian News Service

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