Nepal Army (NA) has started its largest ever
demining operation with a target of defusing within one year at least 19 major minefields that it had been planted during the decade-long conflict, The Kathmandu Post reported on Monday.
On Sunday, three of the four NA teams began their demining operation at the minefields in
Dadeldhura, Dang and Ramechhap districts. They were deployed after a long suspension of operation due to monsoon, when demining is virtually impossible.
According to the daily, the 19 landmine sites were to be demined this year.
NA said that demining of some of these sites, especially those in far-western Nepal could be delayed due to the recent floods, which have erased the mine markings.
Records show that after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2006, over 800 people have fallen victim to mine explosions.
Successful completion of the operation by the end of this year would mean clearance of
almost 70 percent of NA-planted landmines. NA plans to inactivate all of the identified landmines by the end of 2011, said a senior officer at NA's Mine Action Team.
According to the CPA, both NA and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
(UCPN-M) must inactivate all of their mines within 60 days, which they say is impossible.
So far, the Army team has cleared 17 of the total 53 landmines and 105 out of a total of 274
improvised explosive devices planted by the NA, whereas the UCPN-M have destroyed a stockpile of 46,850 "dangerous items" with technical support from the United Nations Mine Action Team (UNMAT).
According to NA experts, it takes at least four to six weeks for a team of experts to clear one field with landmines.
"Demining is a very difficult, risky, costly and time-consuming job as it gets delayed due to

rain and landslides, but still we are doing our best to speed up the process," said a NA expert.
NA claims that after receiving training from UNMAT and technical assistance from Britain,
Norway and Canada, its demining team has attained international standard and is capable of
carrying out UN-facilitated demining operations anywhere in the world.
Currently, 14 of NA's barracks have four demining teams, each comprising around 30 members.