A 5 member sub-committee established under former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to study about all the airports of the country is going to Bara, Nijgadh to study about proposed international airport and fast track.
The sub-committee formed to make report about the current situation, area to be improved and making a solution to the problems of the proposed Nijgadh international airport along with other airports will travel to the proposed construction site on Monday.
The proposed international airport is under various conflict as many stakeholders, peoples and environmentalist have stated that it would hamper environment. The team led by former prime minister will make report by assessing about trees to be deforested and the issues on other aspects.
Along with the sub-committee member, Tourism Minister (MoCTCA) Rabindra Adhikari and Forest and Environment Minister Shakti Basnet are also travelling for site inspection.
The sub-committee was established after members of parliament expressed their interest in the controversial deforestation of forests to construct Nijgadh International airport. There has been a huge dispute as of the Ministry of Tourism (MoCTCA) stated that they will have to cut more than 2.5 million trees to construct the airport.
Currently fencing around the construction site periphery (around 4 pillars) is going on along with the embankment process for Pasaha River. The project has also achieved progress in the environmental evaluation, land acquisition, and compensation distribution. But the controversy raised as the construction of the airport has the direct impact on environmental degradation due to the need of heavy deforestation.
MoCTCA had requested approval from the Ministry of Forest and Environment to cut down trees for construction of second international airport (SIA) which was eventually approved and the Environment Assessment Report (EIA). The approval had also stated that a city would be set up around the airport.
Buddhi Sagar Lammichhane, Joint Secretary of Tourism Ministry stated that Ministry had asked for permission to cut down trees although the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was not prepared for the first phase.
Lately, tourism minter has been emphasizing on a construction of the airport as it can be an international hub and can be transit for international flights. He also claimed that the city won’t be set up around the airport in contradiction of EIA.
