KATHMANDU – Chief Secretary of the Nepal Government, Shanker Das Bairagi has pitched for striking balance between development and environment. Shedding light on the development based on green economy in the developing country like Nepal, he said however the environment should in no way be appeared as an impediment to address the aspirations for development.
At a virtual programme organized by the Ministry of Forests and Environment on the occasion of World Environment Day today, chief secretary Bairagi stressed that Nepal’s contributions to the environmental protection should be strongly highlighted in the international forums.
On the occasion, he shared that the ‘Sagarmatha Dialogue’ which was adjourned due to COVID-19 would be hosted on coming October. Though there is no paucity of policy and laws for environmental protection, there are some gaps in practice even at global level, he asserted.
As the environment is a multi-dimensional issue it therefore requires collective collaboration for the sustainable management of environment, chief secretary Bairagi added. Also on the occasion, Forest Secretary Dr Prem Narayan Kandel said the ministry has put forward several campaigns with the slogan ‘Reimagine, Recreate and Restore’.
Stating that the Ministry had initiated a program to plant 15 million saplings in the coming fiscal year, he said that it was a good indeed that forest area covered 45 percent of the country’s land, but again work was needed in other areas. He said that impact of climate change and environment would be larger in Nepal-like country characterized by geographical diversities and vulnerable topography, Secretary Kandel said that Nepal’s policy and structural arrangements for environmental sector were good but there was a need for broader partnership.
The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Nepal, Nikola Polit, said that control of pollution, improvement of air quality, tree planting and so on were required in every ocean to protect the environment. “Nepal which lies on the foothills of Himalayas is rich in ecosystems,” he said, adding that various works were being undertaken out under the assistance of his country for the restoration of biodiversity and natural systems here.
Director General of the Department of Environment under the Ministry Mukunda Prasad Niraula gave his presentation being focused on the programmes aiming to address the environmental issues while Joint Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Buddhi Sagar Poudel, made a presentation on the country’s environmental policy.
Secretary Yagyanath Dahal at the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment, Sudur Paschim Province; TU Central Department of Environment Science Prof Dr Rejina Maskey, Tulsipur Sub-Metropolis mayor Ghanshyam Pandey, NAST Council Member Dr Dinesh Raj Bhuju, World Wildlife Fund’s Dr Ghanshyam Gurung delivered their views on the importance of environment and its protection.
