YAM BAHADUR BAM
KATHMANDU- It has been revealed that the national priority project of 68.9 kilometers petroleum pipeline linking Motihari-Raxaul-Amlekhgunj is going on without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
A total of 11km pipeline has been installed along 32.7 km section from Motihari to Raxaul and 36.2 km from Raxaul to Amlekhgunj. However, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply has not submitted report yet to the Ministry of Forests and Environment for EIA approval.
Though the pipeline project area determination report and working area report were approved four months ago, the report of EIA is yet to be submitted here, said Jwala Shrestha, undersecretary at the EIA Section of the Ministry of Forests and Environment. “Work cannot be started without EIA approval. But, the rule has been violated now,” she said. “If the project has begun its works, it will be taken action as per laws.”
According to Shrestha, Department of Environment should recommend for EIA monitoring and punishment but no file has been forwarded by the department regarding the pipeline project.
As per the Environment Protection Regulation -2054 BS under the Environment Protection Act-2053BS, the project of more than Rs 250 million or covering more than 5 hectares of forest land needs to approve the EIA of the project. EIA is compulsory for infrastructures in the project area. If it is violated, a fine of Rs 50,000 to 100,000 can be slapped against violators.
According to project chief Sharad Paudel, more than 5,000 trees of Parsa National Park should be cut down €long nine kilometers section of the national park in order to install the petroleum pipeline. “The trees will be felled down after EIA approval,” he added.
In order to fell down the trees in the project area, the Nepal Oil Corporation earlier proposed then Ministry of Supply. However, the Ministry of Forests ordered to evaluate the EIA report and now it’s on the process.
Paudel said that they started the project to complete faster as the EIA process of the national priority project would take longer time. “Now, we have been installing pipelines. We are on the process of EIA as felling down trees affects the environment more. We will submit the report in two-three days,” he claimed.
Earlier, the project was assumed to be of 41km by felling down 25,000 trees but the route was changed from another site to minimize the loss of tress, extending its length to 68.9km. But. Krishna Upreti, then joint-secretary of the Ministry of Environment, said that it was against law to begin works without EIA approval. “It is meaningless to carry out EIA after starting the work. It should have been done before beginning the works,” he said.
The Environment Ministry took action against 36 hotels that did not carry out EIA and charged a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000.The Department of Roads and Nepal electricity Authority already permitted to remove 4,000 houses and huts, 750 electricity poles and depots along the pipeline route, according to him.
The pipeline will connect from India to Nepal through Birgunj. The ‘tap of point’ will be constructed at Siwan of India, between Patna and Mugalsaraya, said Paudel.
The estimated cost of the pipeline project is Rs 4.4 billion (IRS 2.75 billion). Out of total cost, India will bear Rs 3.2 billion while Nepal will bear Rs 1.2 billion.
Though the project agreement was signed three years ago, the project was inaugurated during India visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli about 45 days ago. The pipeline project is estimated to complete in 15 months. Likhita Infrastructure Seamless Company of Hydrabad, India has been working to install pipelines.
