Nepal set to send new map to UN, others

NEW DELHI: After having issued a new map showing Indian territory in Nepal, the K P Oli government is preparing to share the same with the "international community", including the UN.
The map, which was issued despite protests by India, was later legitimised unanimously by Nepal's Parliament by including it in the national emblem. The new Nepal map shows the Kalapani area along with Limpiyadhura and the strategically located Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand as belonging to Nepal.
Sending the map to UN is unlikely to help Nepal's cause though as the organisation generally keeps off such territorial claims in the form of maps presented by countries. In fact, it did the same with the new political map of India which was sent by the Indian mission in Vienna late last year to the UN office there and also United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
India had earlier said that artificial enlargement of Nepal's claim was not based on historical fact or evidence and that it wasn't tenable. India also sees Nepal's unilateral action as violative of the understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues.
The Oli government though, while still open to dialogue, has shown little regard for India's sensitivities, according to official sources. Nepal's land management minister Padma Aryal was quoted as saying Saturday by Nepatl media that Nepal will translate the map text into English and "deliver" it to the international community later this month.
According to a report in My Republica, information officer for the Department of Measurement, Damodar Dhakal, said that they had already proceeded to print 4,000 copies of the updated version of Nepal’s map in the English language to be delivered to the international communities.
“A sub-committee has been formed under the coordination of the deputy director of the department. The revised version of the map will be available in the English language,” Dhakal said.
"The department has already printed 25,000 copies of the latest version of the map to be distributed within the country. Local units, provincial and all other public offices will be delivered the copies free of cost while the public can buy it at Rs 50," said the report.