EPG Meeting and Border Management

Eminent Persons Group Meeting and

Border Management

 

Buddhi Narayan Shrestha

Call to Regulate Open Border

Opinion makers in the Kathmandu Press:

October 8, 2017

 

Onlinekhabar

Call to regulate open border

Former survey official and border expert Buddhi Narayan Shrestha in his lead article for Nagarik argues that it is the high time Nepal and India regulated the open border between them. Taking the reported entry of hundreds of Rohingya refugees in Nepal into consideration as a case in point, Shrestha has said the open border can put the both countries into a number of problems.

“Besides these, Nigerian, Ethiopian and Sudanese refugees occasionally roam in Kathmandu. What happens if the number of Rohingyas also goes up to the level of Bhutanese? The government should be cautious on time,” he argues, “Not only refugees, but other terrorists also enter either of the country through open border. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly raising the issue that undesired elements have been misusing the open border whenever Nepali prime ministers visit him.”

Shrestha adds that the influence of Islamic State gradually expanding into the Asian region as the group has already carried out a number of attacks in Pakistan and Bangladesh, arguing the open border between Nepal and India might facilitate their entrance to the country.

Therefore, he suggests Nepalis and Indians be asked to show their identification whenever they use the open border.

Mount Everest Measuring Opportunity

Buddhi Narayan Shrestha

Nepal Survey Department is going to measure the height of Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) next year in Autumn. It’s a matter of pride and prestige to Nepal to measure the Everest by itself. Because Everest is located in Nepal and it is the heritage of Nepal. So Nepal must announce its authentic height measuring scientifically acceptable to all.

In course of measurement, it is relevant to associate India and China as well. It is in a sense that Survey of India found it as the highest peak in the world in 1852 and named Peak-XV. Later, it was named as Mount Everest in 1865. It was re-measured in 1954.

The reason to involve China is that Everest is located between Nepal and India. However, the peak falls on Nepal side. Everest could be climbed from both Nepal and China side. Everest is measured by China in 1975 and 2005. Now Nepal is going to measure by itself. If the Nepali team is associated by China and India, it would be more relevant and recognizable the height measured and announced by Nepal. Followings are the detail in Nepali script :-