Kathmandu, April 28 : China has been building a safety wall along the Bhotekoshi River on the Chinese side of the Nepal-China border, prompting strong protests from Nepal.

Nepal fears that the construction could alter the riverâ??s course and cause damage on the Nepali side. Nepali officials said the Chinese construction activities violate the boundary protocol signed between the two countries in 1963, which states that either party must inform the other in advance before constructing any structure along the international border.

The protocol also states that neither party shall attempt to change the course of boundary rivers unilaterally.

Officials from Nepalâ??s Home Ministry confirmed to IANS that the Chinese side has been constructing a safety wall along the river within Chinese territory across the border.

The river flows through the Tatopani border point in Sindhupalchowk district and partly serves as a natural boundary between the two countries.

Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk, Ram Krishna Adhikari, confirmed that the Chinese side had constructed the wall on its side of the border. â??Whether the construction activities carried out by the Chinese side fall under the bilateral agenda will be determined by the concerned Nepali authorities,â?? he said.

According to a Home Ministry official, the District Administration Office in Sindhupalchowk had recently informed the government about the construction activities being carried out by the Chinese side close to the border, and the matter was subsequently forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for diplomatic action.

The Foreign Ministry then urged the Chinese side to halt the construction activities immediately, the Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday.

Foreign Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment to IANS. However, a senior official at Nepalâ??s Home Ministry told IANS that he had been informed that a diplomatic note had been sent to the Chinese side protesting the construction activities undertaken without notifying Nepal. â??We had sent details of the construction activities carried out by the Chinese side to the Foreign Ministry,â?? the official said.

The Bhote Koshi River lies in one of the most disaster-prone areas, and officials say that any construction along the river or attempt to alter its course could have a major impact on the Nepali side during the monsoon season. Nepal frequently experiences landslides near the border point, and international trade with China is often disrupted during the rainy season.

According to the report, the construction is being carried out near border pillar number 53 of the Nepal-China international boundary. Under the boundary protocol signed in 1963, both parties are required not to deliberately alter the course of the boundary river and to take measures to prevent such changes. The protocol further states that both sides should adopt joint measures to prevent losses, and it also includes provisions for compensation if either party causes damage across the border due to changes in the river's course.

/IANS