INDIA DENIAL

IMMIGRATION POINTS AT LUMBINI ILAM TO FACILITATE

MOVEMENT OF FOREIGN TOURISTS INDIA SAYS

Kathmandu, 16 July: The Indian embassy in Kathmandu said Tuesday
an agreement to set up immigration check points at Pashupatinagar in Ilam and Lumbini during the Nepal-India home secretary-level talks last month was
intended  to facilitate the movement of foreign tourists into Nepal from
third countries.


"These are misleading representations of discussions held during the Home Secretary level talks between India and Nepal held in Kathmandu on 1st June, 2013. The proposal to set up immigration check points on both sides of the border at Pashupatinagar and Lumbini was made in good faith and in the best interests of Nepal in order to facilitate foreign tourist traffic (of third country nationals) through these points,

"Presently, such tourist traffic is routed through Kakarbitta and Bhairawa, respectively, which have the requisite immigration check points. However these are circuitous routes which increase the traveling time and distance for foreign tourists, thereby discouraging their movement to Ilam and Lumbini,

"There is no question whatsoever, therefore, of India establishing immigration points within Nepalese territory at Pashupatinagar and Lumbini," the embassy says in the statement adding,
" The reality is that India and Nepal discussed setting up such immigration check points in their respective territories at these two points (Pashupatinagar and Lumbini), just as they already exist at other agreed points along the India-Nepal border,::.

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12.2 MILLION VOTERS REGISTERED FOR NOV, ELECTIONS
Kathmandu, 16 July: Altogether 12.2 million voters have been registered for the 19 November elections, the election commission said Tuesday.
Final list will be published Wednesday.
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ONE KILLED, 14 INJURED IN HETAUDA ACCIDENT
Kathmandu, 16 July: One person was killed in Hetauda in a collision
between a tempo and a Tata Sumo.
Fourteen others were injured.
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