KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) has granted permission to fell down trees for establishing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Panchkhal of Kavrepalanchowk district.
Tree cutting down process for the first phase has been allowed to construct infrastructure development of SEZ, according to Suman Subedi, information officer of the MOFE.
Subedi said that the permission has been granted to fell 534 trees though the EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) report mentions cutting down 3,480 trees for the SEZ.
However, Arun Bhatta, the engineer involved in developing SEZ master plan, said that a total of 17,000 trees should be cut down the project. “About 17,000 trees spread at 50 hectares of land need to be felled,” he said.
Despite details of EIA for cutting 3,400 trees, the preparation of amending EIA is undergoing. Subedi informed that they have directed to revise the EIA. “Trees should be felled as per EIA. But their demands are different from the EIA report. So, amendment is on pipeline,” he said. “The tree cutting will be allowed only after the revision of the EIA.”
According to him, 534 trees of one hectares of land will be cut down as per EIA report for not halting the works.
The division office has already forwarded the details of first phase tree cutting to the ministry. Nhuchhe Krishna Shrestha, acting forest officer of Division Forest Office, Kavrepalanchowk, said that all the evaluation report of trees and woods has been reported to the ministry.
“As per the direction of the ministry, we sent numbering and evaluation of trees on July 16,” he said. “However, we are yet to get direction to cut down the trees. The tree felling will befin only after direction.”
What is SEZ?
SEZ is a project to promote industrial production and export of goods. The government started bringing different plans to develop SEZ 26 years ago.
In 2003, SEZ project committee was formed. After formulation of laws, the government formed autonomous AEZ Authority in 2016. The government brought SEX regulation in 2017.
