BARA, Feb 22: Border points connecting Bara and Parsa districts with India will remain closed for three days in view of the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5.
A meeting of Nepali and Indian security officials held Saturday at the Integrated Check Post in Birgunj decided to completely seal the border during the period.
Manakamana cable car service to remain closed on March 20
Chief District Officer of Bara, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, who represented the Nepali side, said both sides agreed to close the border for 72 hours starting March 3 to ensure the election is conducted peacefully.
According to Mishra, the border will remain closed from March 3 until the completion of voting on March 5.
The meeting also agreed to adopt necessary precautions against possible cross-border crimes during the election period and to conduct joint patrols. Both sides further agreed to increase surveillance to curb illegal activities along the border.
During the meeting, the Indian side expressed concern over polluted water flowing south of Raxaul through the Sirsiya River via Birgunj. Indian officials urged the Nepali side to ensure that only treated water is released into the Sirsiya stream. They also sought cooperation in removing encroachment along the Nepal–India border.
The meeting was attended by Chief District Officer of Parsa Bhola Dahal, Chief District Officer of Bara Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, District Magistrate of East Champaran (Bihar) Saurabh Jorwal, and District Magistrate of West Champaran Dharmendra Kumar, along with security officials from both countries.
