A scientific exploration was done in Karnalil River for the first time that took 44 days.
At a press meet organised in Kathmandu on Monday, Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT) informed that the scientific exploration was done in Karnali River from its origin in Tibet to its confluence in Ganga River of India.
Nepal River Conservation Trust President and the research team member Megh Ale said the objective of the exploration was to collect various data on Karnali River system, and expose the social, cultural and ecological importance.
Ale said Karnali is one of the rarest rivers in the world. “Karnali River is a bio-laboratory on itself,” he said. “We can establish it as a holy river corridor for sustainable and tourism development of the river.”
President Ale said a proposal would be prepared for tabling the wild and river legislation, and an outline would be prepared for conservation and promotion of certain sections of Karnali river.
Members of the exploration team said the data collected during the research would be useful in making necessary decisions regarding ecological conservation, and for undertaking any development projects.
Anthropologist Austin Ord said the rivers should not only be developed from the hydropower but also from tourism sector. Similarly, geologist Karen Bennett said Nepal’s rivers are facing risks. She said the authorities should prioritize sustainable development of the rivers.
Environment journalist and research team member Ramesh Bhusal underscored the need for diversification in the use of rivers. He said the rivers should be developed by thinking about alternatives to hydropower.
The research was started from Mabchakhambab of Kailash region in China’s Tibet. The river is known as Humla Karnali after it enters Nepal.
President Ale said the research collected data on bio-diversity, water quality, geological condition of the places near the Karnali River and its tributaries. It also studied the river system, condition of watershed regions, along with the life standard of the people living along the rivers, social change, and their inherent relations with the river.
The trust said the conclusions of the research would be made public in the beginning of the year 2019. The exploration was done from Sept 16 to Oct 29.
The research team comprised of 12 crew including seven scientists, three researcher assistants, one environment journalist and a photographer. Megh Ale, Karen Bennett, Dr Deep Narayan Shah, Austin Lord, Dr Prem Sharma, Ramesh Bhushal, Nabin Baral, Santosh Nepal, Binaya Pasakhala, Mina Raji, Kripa Dangol and Bhakta Bahadur Shahi.
