Kathmandu, September 18:

A team of experts, which visited Susta recently found Indian farmers have encroached a further 300 bighas of land on Nepal’s side there. Now, the total area of encroached Nepali land on Susta border stands at 20,000 bighas. “India has altogether encroached around 20,000 bighas of Nepali land in Susta after Sugauli treaty was signed,” said Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, an expert on border-related issues. The team found that Indian farmers were being distributed land and that they had already begun building in Bhediyari and Dhanaiya.

“They (Indian farmers) have not only encroached land by destroying crops planted by Nepalis, but are also harrassing Nepali farmers,” said Fanindra Nepal, a researcher in the team. The border problem seems to have emerged because of different perceptions on the Indian side. Border expert Shrestha said that the Narayani River, which separates the two countries, has caused great erosion on the Nepali side.