KATHMANDU, Jan 2 - Director General of the Survey Department Toya Nath Baral has urged parliamentarians and political parties to strike a national consensus over

border disputes in the

Susta and Kalapani areas

so that the department could proceed with its work accordingly.

"Let's draw a line on a map which we could refer to as a guideline for our work. We will take our stance during

bilateral meetings as per that same line," said Baral,

speaking to the parliamentarians at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for International Relations on Wednesday. "The state should direct us about our national stance."

There is no dispute in principle with India regarding the borders, he added. "Differences appear when technicians start their work in the field," he added.

According to Baral, differences occurred as the

rivers, which are considered borderlines between the two countries, diverged from their courses several times in the past.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Sahana Pradhan reiterated her stance that the issue should be resolved through a consensus among the seven major ruling and other political parties. She added that border disputes with India should be part of the agenda at the meetings of political parties. She also stated that Indians have been able to dominate the Nepalis due to the absence of Nepali security and administrative officials at the sites whereas the Indian government has deployed armed security forces in large numbers.

Former director generals of the Survey Department Budhi Narayan Shrestha and Punya Prasad Oli and an expert, Rajendra Marhattha, stressed the need for initiatives from the prime minister's level to

settle the issue. They were of the opinion that unless the

PM himself takes it seriously and talks to the highest level of leadership in India, the disputes would not be amicably resolved.

However, Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya

argued that solving directly at the PM's level would not be practical unless there is

a certain level of understanding at technical and diplomatic levels.

Experts and parliamentarians criticized the government for failing to make its administrative presence felt at the local level and give necessary support to the people.