Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) is set to dispatch the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the second international airport project in Bara, Nijgadh to the Ministry of Environment as part of an essential protocol of the project.
After the approval from Ministry, the work to clear the forest will initiate. More than 2.4 million small and large trees have to be cleared.
The forest will be cleared as per the regulation from Ministry of Population and Environment. It could take minimum of 40 days for the ministry to accomplish the process. EIA draft says that the trees have to be cut down in phases depending on the area required. Also, the rule states that the project’s executing agency should plant 25 saplings for every tree to be cut down.
Hence, the report is prepared to demolish the forest with alternative strategy that creates less harm to the environment.
MoCTCA along with Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have already signed a memorandum of understanding with Nepal Army on 4th Sept. 2017 for clearance of forest and construction of peripheral road at Nijgadh International Airport project site.
The desired Nijgadh International Airport just lies at a distance of 175 km south from the capital city Kathmandu and only 45 km of drive away from Birgunj the gateway to Nepal.
Trees to be chopped from the projected site of the Nijgadh airport can aid fund for the construction of the mega-airport. According to the study made by the Landmark Worldwide Company of South Korea in 2012, the sales of timber chopped from the jungle of projected International airport site of Nijgadh can assist half of the required fund for constructing the targeted first phase of the airport.
The airport is proposed to be completed within five years for its primary phase. 21billions of Nepalese currency is required for completely constructing the first phase of the proposed international airport.
