By Lokendra Joshi
Darchula, Nov. 27: A census team has returned to Khalanga, the district headquarters of Darchula, by helicopter on Thursday after concluding census in Chhangru and Tinkar villages.
Among the six villages in Byas Rural Municipality-1 -- Kuti, Nabhi, Gunji, Navidang, Tinkar and Chhangru -- the census team did not conduct census in Navidang, Kuti, Nabhi and Gunji, the Nepali territory encroached by India. Due to the non-cooperation of the Indian side, the Nepali officials have not conducted the census in the remaining four villages.

The team, which reached Chhangru and Tinkar risking their lives on foot last week, returned to the district headquarters yesterday by helicopter managed by the federal government.
The team had reached the area after a four-day trek after the Indian officials did not provide their land route to enter the Nepali territory.

The census team that went to the area from Darchula district headquarters Khalanga on November 19 had reached Chhangru on November 21 and conducted the census for three days. After completing the census, the team returned to the district headquarters by helicopter on November 25, according to Padam Raj Pandey, census officer for the district. A helicopter of Nepali Army from Surkhet reached Chhangru to airlift them, he said. Assistant Census Officer Khagendra Singh Karki and Office Assistant Lokendra Ter went to the two villages to conduct the census.
Karki, who had returned to Khalanga after conducting the census, said a local guide had been taken from Dumling.

According to Karki, the census was conducted at 113 households in Chhangru and Tinkar villages and at the posts of the Armed Police Force Nepal and Nepal Police. Karki said that India had increased security surveillance on the Mahakali River as it was a very risky way to enter Nepal. Ter, one of members of the team, said that the Indian security forces had stepped up surveillance on the twins set up in the Mahakali River after census team reached there. He said that security personnel were reinforced at Sitapul border connecting Chhangru and Garbang villages of India during the census.

The district administration office had sought permission from Dharchula official of Pithoragarh district of India but couldn’t get one.
He said that the questionnaire filled with the details including the census would be sent to the centre within this month. District Census Officer Pandey said that census could not be conducted in Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura areas including Kuti, Nabhi, Gunji and Navidang in lack of administrative authority of Nepal.