Concerned stakeholders have said that the issues included in the ‘Environmental Conservation Act-2075’ registered by the government in the Parliament is not sufficient to conserve the environment.
Speaking at a program titled ‘Environment Conservation Bill for long term development’ organized in Kathmandu on Friday, environmentalists, environmental legal experts and concerned stakeholders said that the Environment Conservation Bill should not be endorsed without amending some provisions.
Participants said so during the program jointly organized by Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists(NEFEJ), South Asia Institute of Advance Studies, Youth Alliance for Environment and Clean Energy Nepal.
The program was presided over by former Minister and lawmaker Sher Bahadur Tamang.
We don’t need environment conservation council: Lawmaker Tamang
Former Minister and lawmaker Sher Bahadur Tamang said that there is no need of environment conservation and climate change council. Speaking at the programe, Tamang said that there is a need of separate institution which has full rights instead of environment conservation council which has not been able to hold a single meeting for a long time.
“Issues related to environment have been included in every law. There has been debate in almost all the issues of environment and development, but no one has been able to understand this issue,” he said, adding, “Environment should not be affected while carrying out development activities.”
He opined that the capable person who has passed the civil service examinations should be appointed as the environmental inspector. “How can we protect the environment if the concerned authority appoints the student of political science as the environmental inspector,” he wondered. Raising the issue of snow melting on the mountains due to climate change, Tamang said that the culture of the people living on the base of the mountains will also be affected if the climate change affects the mountains.
Saying that there are errors in the Environment Conservation Bill registered at the Parliament, he said that the bill should be amended. Tamang said that the Bill should establish Department of Environment as the institution with full rights.
Words included in bill are unclear: Environmentalist Upreti
Also speaking at the program, environmentalist Batu Krishna Upreti said that the points and words included in the bill are unclear. “Why the word strategic environment assessment is included in the bill. What does this mean. It has not been mentioned cleared,” Upreti said. The bill has not described about auditing environment impact assessment. Will it be transparent if the proposer himself audit the environment impact assessment?” he questioned.
Climate change impact issues not given priority: Advocate Mainali
Advocate Joni Mainali, who has been working in the field of climate change and environment conservation, said that the definition of climate change and the Act related to the climate change included in the Environment Conservation Bill is not enough.
“Some issues of climate change have been included in the bill. But, many things should be included. There is no need of separate law, but the issues of climate change should be included in a broad way,”she said.
Pollution control issue should be given more importance: Former Secretary Gyawali
Taking part in the program, former Secretary Krishna Gyawali said that the issue of pollution control has given less importance in the Environment Conservation Bill. He said that the pollution control issue should be included in a comprehensive way. On top of that, he said that it would not have any difference if the issue of climate change is included in the Environment Conservation Bill and the issue should be included in a wide way.
It is not sufficient to keep climate change in only 6 points: Environmentalist Dhakal
On the occasion, environmentalist Manjit Dhakal said that less issues of climate change are included in the Environment Conservation Bill. Saying that the bill should show the way for the next generation, he said, “The average global temperature on earth has been increasing by one degree. The temperature on earth will increase by 11 percent till 2055. Have we done justice by keeping the issues of climate change in only six points?” he questioned. “The ongoing problems should be resolved. The issue of climate change is not only the issue of environment. This should be taken ahead in a comprehensive way,” he added.
Issue of climate change has been bypassed in Environment Conservation Bill: Environmental legal expert Shrestha
Environmental legal expert Padam Bahadur Shrestha, who has been working in the field of conserving environment for a long time, said that the issue of climate change included in the Environment Conservation Bill is inadequate. He said that the issue of climate change has been bypassed in the Environment Conservation Bill as it has been limited only in six points.
