New Delhi, Sept 13: The Delhi High Court today sought explanation from the Union Government on a PIL which alleged that over 10,000 acres of Indian territory had been occupied by Nepal whose currency was also being freely traded in some of the villages of the occupied territories.


A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kailash Ghambhir asked the Centre to file its reply within four weeks and posted the matter for further hearing to November 22.


The PIL filed by one Yashpal Madan through counsel Sugriv Dubey alleged that over the past few years thousands of Nepalis including hundreds of Muslims have crossed into the country through the borders at Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and taken possession of several villages in the two states.


It was stated that the Bihar Government had recently written to the Centre urging the latter to reclaim the occupied territories, but the Union Government had so far failed to take any action on the request.


For instance the petition said four revenue villages of West Champran district of Bihar comprising Tandi, Balganua, Ramprawa, Murhari have been taken over by the Nepal Government illegally.


Similarly part of the land of Madnur forest area comprising Sector 23, 24, 26 and 30 and 32 have been under the Nepal Government's occupation for the past several months.(Agencies)

Indians build 80 huts on encroached Nepali land



BY CHETAN ADHIKARI


SUSTA (NAWALPARASI), Sept 14 - Encroaching on Nepali land at Dhanewa Rewa and Rauwaghola of Susta, Indian nationals recently built some 80 huts along the Nepal-India border.
The Indians constructed the huts one by one during the last three months, according to locals. "Indians feel encouraged to encroach on Nepali land because of the apathy of Nepali authorities," locals alleged.

Indians who last year tilled Nepali land have now constructed the huts and are cultivating the land. "This is the way Nepali land is encroached by the Indians," said Laila Begam, treasurer of the Save Susta Campaign, adding, "First they encroach, then they cultivate the land and after that they start construction."

Indians have built 63 huts at Dhanewa Rewa and 17 in the Rauwaghola area.

Indians are shortly going to harvest rice on some 100 bigha in the Rauwakhola area. Nepali locals were cultivating the same land until last July. "First they use the huts as cowsheds, later they transform these into huge buildings," said Pepari Yadav, a local, adding that next year the Indians would start to encroach further into Nepal from that point.

Locals are planning to demolish the huts. However, the administration wants to deploy the police for the purpose, according to sources.

A team from the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and human rights issues visited the encroached area Tuesday.