The five-day congress is jointly organised by International Ranger Federation and Ministry of Forest and Environment. Chairperson of the Nepal Communist Party, Dahal, pointed out the need of carrying out activities by playing coordinative role, saying the conservationists have challenges to carry out works by reducing human-wildlife conflict. He further said there was a challenge to forward conservation and development together.
The NCP chair said that Nepal has become successful to set some examples in the world in some areas of forest and wildlife conservation. Similarly, Minister for Forest and Environment, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, said that rangers, working for the conservation keeping their lives at risk, are real ‘hero’. Minister Basnet shared the information that Nepal ahs fulfilled its commitment made before the international community by controlling wildlife poaching increasing number of wildlife like tiger and rhino.
Saying zero poaching is the big achievement of Nepal, he said that role of conservationists and local community was significant in this task. Likewise, President of IRF, Sean Willmore, expressed gratitude towards Nepal for organising world ranger congress for the first time in Asia. He said, “We are very happy from the participation of such large number of rangers in the congress.”
Former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey, National Planning Commission member Krishna Prasad Oli, Chairperson of Chitwan national park Buffer Zone Management Committee, Madhukar Malla, Mayor of Ratnanagar municipality, Narayan Ban, among others wished for the success of the congress. The first World Ranger Congress was initiated in 1995 and it is organised in every three years.
The eighth congress was held in America in 2016. According to coordinator of Congress Preparation Committee, Dr Maheshwor Dhakal, said that 550 representatives from 72 countries including Nepal have been participating in the five-day congress. A programme has been scheduled where Nepal would present achievements on different issues including management of buffer zone, reducing human-wildlife conflict, zero poaching and partnership of local community in eco-tourism in the congress, he said.
Similarly, experts of different countries participating in the congress would present successful stories of their respective countries on the issues of wildlife conservation and reducing human-wildlife conflict. Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is scheduled to inaugurate the congress. It has been expected that the congress taking place in Chitwan on the eve of Visit Nepal Year 2020 would help promote tourism of Chitwan and Nepal. RSS
