Nepal, India Agree to Let Mahakali River Flow in Its Original Course: Officials

Nepal and India on Wednesday agreed to let the Mahakali river flow in its original course, officials here said.

They said the decision was taken during the Nepal-India Border Coordination Meeting in Dharchula of India’s Pithoragarh district, where both sides agreed to remove the temporary dam with wire mesh and let the river follow the natural course.

Earlier, there had been tension in the area after India built a temporary embankment, diverting the flow of the Mahakali river towards Nepal, they said.

Following the dispute over the construction of the embankment, Nepal sent a diplomatic note to India on Tuesday.

Foreign Ministry sources here confirmed that a diplomatic note was sent to India through the Indian Embassy here.

However, during Wednesday’s meeting between the security officials of both the countries, the Indian side agreed to remove the structure within ten days as per the request made by Nepal, Chief District Officer of Dharchula Dirgha Raj Upadhyaya said.

The Indian authorities have inspected the embankment area, sources said.

Chief District Officer of Darchula Dirgharaj Upadhyay, Dambar Bista of Armed Police Force Darchula, Tarkaraj Pandey of Nepal Police and Karan Singh Dhami, acting Chief of Mahakali River Control Project represented Nepal and DM Reena Joshi, and SDM Dibesh Munni represented the Indian side during the meeting.

Four Nepalese sustained injuries when people from the Indian side allegedly pelted stones on Sunday following a protest by the local people of Khalanga of Darchula against the construction of the embankment, according to the police.

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