Kathmandu, May 17
Sources in the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation say the ministry has already finalised the new map of Nepal that also incorporates the disputed Kalapani region and Minister Padma Aryal soon forward it to the cabinet.
After India published its new political map in November last year incorporating the disputed region, the government of Nepal had also ordered the ministry to publish the new map so as to give an encounter, owing to a widespread protest of the Indian move and Nepal’s inability to resist.
As India inaugurated a link road to Manasarovar via the disputed land earlier this month, the government is again under the pressure to publish the new map as soon as possible.
As President Bidya Devi Bhandari announced to publish the new map next fiscal year in the government’s annual policy and programme on Friday, minister Aryal is preparing to table it in the cabinet seeking approval soon, according to the sources.
Earlier last week, Aryal had told Onlinekhabar that her ministry was always ready to publish the new map, but was delaying the publication hoping the issue could be resolved through talks first.
