New Delhi, December 20, 2007

India has categorically claimed that it has not encroached upon Susta and challenged the Nepal government to show proof of encroachment.

The Indian side made this claim at a three-day meeting of the joint technical committee, which concluded yesterday. Chief of the Survey Department of Nepal Toyanath Baral and surveyor general of India CM Gopal Rao headed the Nepali and Indian delegations, respectively. The minutes of the meeting were not signed. Baral said he requested the Indian side to keep the Susta border on status quo according to 2024 BS (1968 AD) line, to which India replied that it will show papers on the status of the disputed border.

The Indian side also asked the Nepali side to show papers and reference poi-nts on the Susta border, but the latter could not present any such document, Indian officials claimed. The Indian side also insisted on keeping 1968 AD as the cut-off point for maintaining the borderline.

According to a Nepali delegate, Rajaram Chhatkuli, efforts are being made to collect land measurement papers and revenue receipts from the Nepalis living in areas adjoining Susta. Chhatkuli said India categorically denied encroachment in Susta. During the joint-secretary-level meeting of the technical committee held two years ago, India had offered to present documents on Susta and Kalapani and asked Nepal to do the same.

Despite two consecutive meetings, Nepal has been unable to present proof of its claims, an Indian official said. Meanwhile, Baral said the tenure of the joint-technical committee was ending this month.

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Can bio-fuel bail NOC out of red?

Kathmandu, December 20, 2007

To meet the soaring power demand, the Nepal Electricity Authority generates 49 MW of electricity in thermal plants by using fossil-fuel to supplement hydro-electricity.

But if this could be done using domestically produced bio-diesel, it would not only lower the pressure on imported fossil diesel but also check Greenhouse Gas emission by up to 10,000 tonnes of carbondioxide annually. It is estimated that in December the Nepal Oil Corporation will bear a loss of Rs 560 million while importing traditional petroleum products from India.

The seeds of an inedible plant, Jatropha Curcas L, locally known as Sajiban, has the potential to produce bio-diesel that can be used in vehicles, for cooking, as well as for the generation of electricity.

Megesh Tiwari, research officer at Winrock International Nepal, said Jatropha seeds could be sold to thermal power plants or other industries. “If a thermal plant uses bio-diesel about 4,000 kl of imported diesel will be saved and this could minimise NOC’s loss by Rs 18 million each year,” he said.

He, however, added that they were uncertain about the cost of commercially grown Jatropha or the price of the processed bio-fuel.