Locals occupy no man’s land

NEPALGUNJ, NOVEMBER 29

Dasgaja serves as a border between Nepal and India.

On the Nepali side of Dasgaja lies Jamunaha village while Rupaidiha is on the other side of the border.

Citizens from both countries have been living in the makeshift tents and shanties at Dasgaja area. Due to the presence of shanties there, it has become difficult to identify the border point. Near Dasgaja is India’s Seema Surakshya Bal camp. On the Nepali side, there is an APF post and there is also a Police Office in Jamunaha.

According to international law, no one can reside on no man’s land. “We have been living here for years and no one has asked us to vacate the place”, said Nasid Sekh of Jamunaha. Inhabitants of Dasgaja dump garbage at the border area and breed cattle and poultry.

The Indian side has evacuated the human settlement on its side to construct a road. Both sides seem to be using the no man’s land. According to locals, before the border between Nepal and India was demarcated, the Dasgaja area was a single village.

After India gifted Nepal with naya muluk post-Sugauli treaty, Dasgaja was divided into Nepal and India.

Security forces from both sides had vacated the human settlement at Dasgaja area saying it was hard to identify the Dasgaja border point.

The locals, however, started using the land from the next day. “The tradition is like this. We have lived in Dasgaja area which works as a security for the border,” said Chunna Nau on the Indian side. According to Nau, people from both sides help each other during emergencies such as fire, flood and other incidents. The people-to people cooperation has strengthened relations between the two peoples and countries, Nau added.

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