Authorities in Uttarakhand on Thursday refuted reports in Nepalese media that they have asked their counterparts in Nepal to prevent their citizens from "illegally" visiting the Indian territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Gunji.
Dharchula SDM Anil Kumar Shukla dismissed as "fake" the reports that said he had written to authorities in Nepal on the matter.
"I have not written any such letter to Nepalese administration. All such news items are fake. We do not have time to spend on such things as we are too busy these days combating natural calamities like cloudbursts which have killed people," Shukla said.
Pithoragarh District Magistrate VK Jogdande also said he was not aware of any such letter. "If SDM Dharchula had written any letter to Nepalese authorities, I would have been informed about it," Jogdande said.
A Nepalese newspaper quoted a local officer as saying that Shukla had written to authorities in Nepal asking them to prevent "illegal" movement of their citizens in the four Indian territories which were shown as Nepal's territory in a revised map of that country.