On January 5, protests broke out in the border town of Thadi when Indian authorities started unauthorised construction of a gate a day prior on no man’s land along the Nepal-India border in Siraha district.

As the protests grew, a joint survey team of Nepal and India was formed to inspect the disputed area last week. “The construction is taking place within four metres of the no-man’s-land, which violates international border rules. We have asked the Indian side to stop construction immediately,” said Umesh Kumar, chief survey officer of Province 2, who led the Nepali team during the joint inspection of the disputed structure.

Thadi is a trading point between Nepal and India, located 18 kilometres south from Lahan, the district headquarters of Siraha.

Chief District Officer of Siraha Gopal Kumar Adhikari said that the local administration called the survey team to prepare a map of the area after it was informed about the unilateral construction of the structure by the Indian side on the no man’s land. We have informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Survey Department about the matter as well, he added.

According to Kumar, the map has been prepared and handed over to the local administration.

Nepali people in Thadi further complained that the Indian authorities have been operating a customs office on no-man’s-land for years. “We have repeatedly requested the authorities to remove the Indian customs office but to no avail. Now people have erected around a dozen thatched-roof huts on both sides of the no-man’s-land as well,” said Kanhaiya Bhatta, a local of Thadi.