Eviction from no-man's land from today

forbesganj: a joint team of police and administrative officials of both india and nepal would launch a massive anti-encroachment drive to evacuate the illegal occupants of the no-man's land on the porous indo-nepal border in araria district from january 7 to curb "undesirable activities" in the wake of recent developments between india and pakistan and the continuing maoist activities in nepal.araria dm shyamjee sahay told this correspondent that a high-level meeting of the officials of araria district and morang and sunsari districts of nepal, held recently at biratnagar in nepal, decided that the anti-encroachment drive would be taken up in phases in which the entire 132-km-long porous border of the district with nepal would be cleared of thousands of unauthorised people living by erecting huts illegally. all types of nefarious activities are carried out from these illegally constructed huts and even pucca houses right from bela basmatia village on the northwest side to sikti village on the northeast side touching the kishanganj district. the dm further said that a decision has been taken to closely monitor the working and activities of officials deputed in different departments on both sides of the border. it was also resolved that a regular exchange of confidential information would take place between the officials of the two countries, including a daily chart of vehicles entering either side of the border. in the first phase, the officials concerned, including the revenue and police officials, would ensure the removal of all such kutcha and pucca houses which are marked for nefarious activities. in the next phase, those houses which have been built to give shelter to unauthorised immigrants would be removed and finally the no-man's land will be fully cleared to ensure proper surveillance by intelligence and revenue officials of both the countries. it was also agreed to exchange information on the activities of hardened criminals, subversive elements and underworld dons from time to time at the sp level of both the countries to put a halt to such activities to maintain peace and tranquility all along the border. araria sp arvind kumar and other officials of the district also attended the meeting. the entire 1,800-km-long indo-nepal border is vulnerable to criminal and subversive elements of the two countries, with easy access to the other side. a couple of years ago, five afghan nationals, who had sneaked into india from nepal, were arrested by the forbesganj police in a suspicious condition.