The government has already started the process of establishing “Site office” in Tamaghadi of Bara for construction of Second International Airport (SIA). Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has initiated the construction of Site office by cutting down the trees of 2.25 hectares connected to Lalbakaiya river of East-West highway.
The government planned to establish a Site Office at Tamagadhi as it will be easy to carry out the construction work and other necessary activities as it is near to East-West Highway.
Deputy Secretary of the Division Forest Office, Manjur Ahmed said that the authority has already sealed the trees for cutting but it has not received the approval for cutting down.
Gyanendra Mishra, chief of Forest Division Office said that Tourism Ministry in Tamagadhi directed to form a unit and carry out the construction work of the airport. He also informed that the ministry has also given assurance to provide some rooms for Forest office in the project of site office.
After the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, the Tourism ministry has begun to speed up the airport construction. Fencing has been accomplished at the periphery of the airport construction site.
Budda Sagar Lamichhane, Joint Secretary at Ministry stated that the distribution of compensation and acquisition of land for airport construction is going on.
The proposal for cutting tress has been send to Forest Ministry through the Department of Forest and Environment. However, the proposal file of cutting trees is still under studies.
The proposal to cut trees in any project or proposed area will be sent to the Council of Ministers through Forest Ministry. Only after the Council of Ministers permits, the process of cutting trees will move ahead.
