Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) has commenced signature campaign named ‘Save the Nijgadh Forest’ stating that the government was not serious about the impact of the environment because of construction of alternate airport at Nijgadh.
So far, nearly 2000 people have signed.
Prabhu Budhathoki, former member of National Planning Commission, participating at the campaign informed that the collected signature will be submitted to Prime Minister KP Oli, Rabindra Adhikari, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister of Forest and Environment and leaders of political parties.
Budhathoki said that Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of proposed Nijgadh Airport has not properly analyzed the effect on social, economic and environment from the construction work. He also demanded that EIA should be studied with economic, social and environmental potential.
Sushila Karki, Former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Nepal has also signed in the signature campaign.
Similarly, Parliamentary Committee directed to cut trees only after the investment confidence for the construction of Nijgadh International Airport is achieved.
International Relations Committee of Parliament directed to cut trees after the sub-committee formed under the consolidation of Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to study all airport across the country make certainty of investment.
The meeting between Finance Ministry and Tourism Ministry held on August 29, 2018, has already decided to construct Nijgadh Airport in Government-Private partners’ model. It is estimated to cost around NRs. 100 Billions for the construction of the airport.
The airport will be developed in three phases. The first phase, as per the detailed feasibility study (DFS) of the project, will be of 10 years; the second phase will be of 5 years, and the third or final phase will be of 25 years.
The project envisions building a modern airport in Nijgadh in Bara district, 175 km from Kathmandu in the southern plains.
