Kathmandu– Conservationists have drawn the attention of the authorities saying that the construction of infrastructures like Cable Car and resort, among others, inside the Nagarjun National Park will have serious impact on the biodiversity of the area—the environmental lifeline of Kathmandu Valley.
The conservationists made such remarks after some people started lobbying to operate cable car in the main area of the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park.
They said the concerned authority should not grant permission to build cable car inside the national park as it will affect the environment of the forest area. Prof Dr. Madan Koirala said the Nagarjun National Park should be protected at any cost as it is the lifeline of the Kathmandu Valley. According to a study, the average age of the valley denizens has decreased by five years due to air pollution.
Environmentalists have said that the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park has played an important role to provide fresh air and clean drinking water to the people of Kathmandu Valley.
Experts said that though the construction of cable car has economic advantage, it won’t be sufficient to compensate for the environmental loss.
Chief Conservation Office at the national Park Dil Bahadur Purja said the government should not give permission to build cable car inside the park. In case the government is considering granting permission for such projects, it should not give a go-ahead without approving the environmental impact assessment (EIA). The businessmen have been lobbying to construct three cable cars and resorts in this area.
Businessmen, investors and some leaders are trying to construct three cable cars in Mulabari from Shahidpark of Jagadole, Gokarneshwor Municipality, Shivapuri National Park, from Budhanilakantha to the height of Shivapuri and in Jamacho from Raniban of Nagarjun Municipality to the height of Nagarjun. They are also lobbying to construct resorts in the same area.
Shivapuri Eco-Tourism and Cable Car Ltd. Pvt has sought approval from the Ministry of Forest and Environment for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) to construct a 3.5 km long cable car to Mulbari from Shahidpark. The lobbying started after the devastating earthquake of 2015.
The main source of drinking water for the residents of Kathmandu Valley is the Shivapuri National Park. The water sources will dry up if the government gives permission to construct the cable car. Dil Bahadur Purja hinted that the problem of drinking water in the Kathmandu Valley will further deteriorate if the cable car is constructed inside the national park.
Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanipani Limited (KUKL) and various drinking water consumers’ committee have been supplying around 50 million litre water to the Kathmandu Valley every day.
Former chief conservation officer at the national park and Under-Secretary at the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) Kamal Jung Kunwar warned that the Kathmandu Valley will cave in if the people continue to use underground water instead of natural sources.
Some people have been eyeing to destroy the national park sometime in the name of constructing a playground or constructing roads on various topics.
Meanwhile, this national park is one of the 20 protected national parks of Nepal. Most of the protected areas are in Hills and Tarai and this national park is in the mid-hill on the northern part of the Kathmandu city. The Mid hill of Nepal is rich in biodiversity. There are four types of forests, 320 species of birds and 108 species of butterflies in the national park.
Shivapuri is the source of four rivers of Kathmandu Valley. Bagmati flows in the East of Shivapuri, Rudramati and Dhobikhola in the South and Bishnumati in the West. These four rivers have played an important role to store water of the Kathmandu Valley. That is why, Shivapuri and Nagarjun are the gifts for water in the Valley.
Moreover, the national park is the important pocket area for the biodiversity. This park represents the biodiversity of the mid hill.
Shivapuri is considered as the water tower. Many trees should be felled down to build the cable car inside the national park. That will increase the risks of landslides, and various types of birds and animals will also die.
