Nepalgunj, March 11:

Water resources and border experts, speaking at an interaction on Nepal-India Water Resources and Border Dispute in Nepalgunj today, attributed Nepal’s border and water disputes with India to diplomatic and political instability here.

“Nepal and India have to cooperate on the sharing of water resources,” said water resources expert Ajay Dixit, adding: “There is a dispute about the sharing of the Mahakali waters. Both the nations would benefit by initiating a project jointly,” Dixit said, adding: “Mid-level hydroelectric projects will be more suitable for Nepal than the big ones.”

“There are border disputes between Nepal and India in 54 different places, border expert Buddhi Narayan Shrestha said, adding: “Border pillars have also beeen missing because India has constructed dams along the border.” Nepali diplomats have not been able to solve the border disputes diplomatically, he said, adding: “The dispute over the sharing of the Mahakali waters could not be solved as there was a dispute regarding the origin of the Mahakali river.”

“The problems increased as the treaties were signed without doing enough homework,” Din Mani Pokhrel, a participant, said.

The interaction was organised as the experts returned after making an inspection of the Mahakali river. The field visit and the interaction were organised on the eve of 10th anniversary of the signing of the Mahakali Treaty. At the interaction organised by Human Rig-hts Protection Forum, Chetendra Jung Himali, Gopal Krishna Shiwakoti and others addressed the interaction.