RECOMMENDATIONS
ON COLLECTING GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

INTRODUCTION

Geographical names are proper names designating certain places or areas of the earth surface on land as well as water bodies.  Perception of a terrestrial space and its features happen through names, which constitute their unmistakable identity.  Names do not only serve for designating the single phenomenon or feature class, but also for the purpose of perception, recognition, distinction and communication.  Names have decisive influence on the development of an identity.  Names arouse expectations and convey prestige.

Clear and consistent use of geographical names is important for surveying and mapping, postal services, telecommunication, health services, transportation, tourism, providing emergency services and in other areas of life.

Non-uniform usage of geographical names leads to misunderstandings in many spheres of life.  The cause of such misunderstandings is, for instance, the fact that some places have more than one name, that one name applies to several places, or that the reproduction of names from other languages raises questions as to their correct spelling as well as pronunciation.

CURRENT SITUATION

Ministry of Local Development, National Planning Commission, Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Survey Department (SD), Municipalities, Nepal Telecommunications Corporation, Nepal Drinking-water Corporation, Nepal Electricity Authority, Central Post Office and many other governmental and non-governmental organizations have their own list of geographical names.

Mismatch of the names in the above mentioned geographical name lists is a very common case.  This is true not only in case of different lists but also in the same list as well.

In the official stamp of Ministry of Land Reform and Management, we can see “काठमाण्डौं” while in the official letter pad of SD, a department under the same ministry, we see “काठमाडौं”.  In the state owned newspaper "The Rising Nepal", we see “काठमाण्डु” while in “The Gorakhapatra” we see “काठमाडौं”.  Same is the case with “मिनभवन”, “मीनभवन”, “मीन भवन”.

On the way from Pulchok (Pulchowk?) to Mangal Bazar (Mangal Bazaar?, Mangal Bajar?,..) we can see “सिबहाल”, “श्रीबहाल”, “शिबहाल” etc representing one and the same place.

The list of such confusing names may be very long.  In order to manage those names we must have official and standard name list.

One of the positive aspects of the works done so far by SD is that it already has all information of the base maps at scales 1:25 000 and 1:50 000 in digital form (NTDB).  With the help of this data the name list can be prepared, maintained and updated more easily.

THE PROCESS OF NAME COLLECTION ADOPTED BY SD

Recently SD has published a new series of topographic base maps at scales 1:25 000 and 1:50 000.  SD adopted the following procedures for settlement name collection:

Provisional name list collection from 1 inch to a mile topographical sheets published by SOI.

Names verified in field by asking the local people and members of local administration.

The names are translated to English by the surveyors, checked by field supervisors, rechecked in office by the supervisor of Cartography Unit.  This is the final name list.

It is quite obvious in that in above procedures there are many steps of collection and translation of names.  This is a good source of errors.  The provisional name list prepared from 1 inch to a mile topo sheets is not up-to-date.  Many new names have to be collected.  The language used by local people, the perception of names by the surveyors, the writing skill of the supervisors, lack of clear step by step instructions to supervisors etc are major possible sources of errors in names.

LEGAL STATUS OF NAMES

SD while preparing different maps collects geographical names in the field and publishes those names in the maps.  But is SD the authority to finalize the place names? In the current act and law for surveying and mapping there is not a single provision giving the required authority to SD to assign the names to the geographic features.  The authority to prepare maps does not necessarily mean the authority to manage geographical names also.

Similarly other organizations like CBS also collect place names through their own procedure.

Recently the Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation has given names to different streets in Kathmandu.

In most cases these procedures have created chaos in place names.  And it is quite difficult to find out which one is the official name of the given place.

This situation is largely because of lack of inter organizational coordination.  And the main cause for this situation is the lack of an organization with authority on geographical names.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Standardization of geographical names is the process of choosing preferred name(s) and linking them to specific geographical features.  The full stability of the standardized names is achieved when the names are granted the official status.  For this to happen geographical names must be protected by act and laws.

Being a member state of United Nations, it is our obligation to follow the recommendations of UN.  In 1960s The United Nations did set up a mechanism for the establishment of the United Nations Group of Experts (UNGEGN).  The UN Conferences on the Standardization of Geographical Names held in different places and dates have passed different resolutions on the geographical names.  One of the first resolutions emphasized the need for all UN member states to have a national names authority, Resolution 4 of the First Conference (1967).

In this context we would like to recommend taking the following actions in two parallel groups.

Group 1: In the context of Nepal, It is quite difficult to resolve conflicts between two or more departments (in case of the settlement names).  All departments claim their name list as the only correct list.  Making an organization with full authority may take several years.  So the following actions have been recommended to produce a settlement name list acceptable to all concerned organizations.           

  1. Prepare a list of settlement names from the NTDB belonging to SD.
  2. Collect name lists prepared by other organizations viz. CBS, Ministry of Local Development.
  3. Compare the name lists and find out the conflicting names.
  4. In case of conflicting names, the correct names should be selected with the help of local authorities and prepare a list acceptable to all organizations.
  5. The name list should be signed by all concerned, at least, government organizations and approved by a committee of the secretaries of the concerned ministries.  SD should play a role of coordinator.
  6. All other organizations should follow this name list.
  7. The SD should initiate and coordinate this task and arrange necessary budget for this.
  8. The name list should be published in hard copy form and in the web site of SD.

Group 2: Since the name list agreed upon by some organizations may not be legally binding for all other organizations, it is highly recommended to develop an organization with full authority.  This group of actions will produce an organizational structure required to deal with all aspects of geographical names.

  1. It is recommended initiate taking necessary administrative steps to form a "Geographical Names Board (commission, committee, council, authority etc.)" through a separate act.
  2. The act and related laws should clearly layout the mandate, responsibilities, constitution, procedures, organizational structure etc of the Board.
  3. This board should have the ultimate decision making authority in all aspects (collecting existing names, disseminating names, change/correct names, develop translation/Romanization rules etc.) of standardization of geographical names.
  4. The decisions of this board should be mandatory.

EXPECTATIONS

With the formation of "Geographic Names Board, Nepal (GNBN)" ("Geographic Names Authority, Nepal (GNAN)", a program will be designed to prepare a geographical names database.  The GNBN will develop a procedure for the name collection using the existing administrative structure or it will develop its own administrative network.

The expected information to be included in the database are: 1. Name (in local language, Nepali language and Romanized name), 2. Administrative link, 3. Coordinates, 4. Importance, 5. Maps in which it appears, 6. Show the extent of geographical names in maps etc.

Once the Geographic Names Database is prepared, the country can benefit from its consistent use.  For example, SD can use the names for mapping, the names can be used to develop an address system, emergency service providers can use this name database, with the help of this name database other information (eg. census information) can be linked as required, duplication of works in this field can be eliminated and so on.

Report submitted to:

The Director General,

Survey Department,

Kathmandu.

 

Report prepared and submitted by:

Suresh Man Shrestha, Chief Survey Officer,

Deepak Sharma Dahal, Survey Officer,

Narayan Kumar Shrestha, Survey Officer.

Date:  2060/01/10.

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