Kathmandu: The government has decided to amend laws in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision regarding infrastructure construction in protected zones, including national parks, reserves, or conservation areas. A meeting of stakeholders held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has resolved to move forward by amending the laws that hinder the parallel advancement of the environment and development.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the decision was taken by a joint meeting involving Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka, Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi, Chief Secretary Eaknarayan Aryal, and secretaries of the concerned ministries.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka expressed concerns that the Supreme Court’s decision may obstruct the government’s energy development objectives, emphasizing the need to amend the law in consideration of national needs. He highlighted that the decision would affect the transmission lines of projects currently under construction.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya mentioned the possibility of holding discussions with the judges regarding the Supreme Court’s decision. He noted that since the energy, tourism, and irrigation sectors are crucial for the country’s economic development, amending relevant laws to address barriers is essential.
Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi stated that the ministry is continuously working to address the challenges within the forest sector.
Chief Secretary Eaknarayan Aryal highlighted the significant impact such court decisions could have on development and construction, especially as the government aims to generate 28,500 megawatts of electricity in 10 years and export 15,000 megawatts to neighboring countries.
The meeting concluded with a directive for the Ministry of Forests to finalize the laws that need amendment and submit them to the Council of Ministers. The National Park Act, Forest Act, Environment Protection Act, and other laws affecting development and construction will be amended as soon as possible.