Former President Ram Baran Yadav has urged the government to come up with policies to conserve Chure range that is going through severe degradation since decades.

Speaking at the Barbara Adams Talk Series titled, ‘Conservation of Chure: Why is it essential? How is it possible?’ on Tuesday, Yadav said conservation of the range has not gained momentum.

“Lawmakers in parliaments, local bodies and provinces have shown not much interest in protecting the Chure range. Only political parties in Province 2 have jointly prioritised Chure’s conservation,” said Yadav.

The then government started Chure’s conservation plan when Yadav was the president.

“I had thought of protecting the livelihoods of nearly half of the population living along the Chure range, and further down south. If Chure is not preserved, livelihoods of millions of people in this area would be threatened. We may import petroleum products from Gulf countries, but how we will get water that’s depleting because of Chure degradation,” said Yadav.

To prevent degradation of natural resources, the government had launched The President Chure Conservation Programme in 2010/2011. For further efficacy, the government formed the President Chure Tarai Madhes Conservation Development Board (PCTMCDB) in June 2014. Chure conservation area covers 12.78 percent of the total area of the country. It comprises inner Tarai valleys and the river valleys passing through the region.

 “The region has suffered massive destruction in different phases. In the past, even political parties encouraged cutting down forest. As Nepal now has a stable government at all three levels, the right time has come for Chure’s conservation,” he said.

Sharing his involvement with Chure conservation as the first PCTMCDB Chairman, Rameshwor Khanal called for a dedicated body as no government agency worked for its conservation. “Further fragmentation of the Chure range, which is home of 23 biodiversity centres, should be stopped. Managing farming and animal husbandry could help immensely in conservation. Promotion of bio-gas could reduce communities’ dependency on forest for firewood,” said Khanal.

The board carries out various conservation programmes under the 20-year President Chure-Tarai Madhes Conservation and Management Master Plan. The master plan has identified 164 rivers in 36 districts of Chure belt. The board will work on these.

Board Chairman Birendra Yadav said there are various programmes, including downstream and upstream linkage, integrated river management among others, were going on in partnership with different partners. “Despite implementing so many programmes, we need an integrated policy in the form of separate act for Chure conservation,” said Birendra Yadav. 

Speaking at the Talk Series, Ministry of Forests and Environment Secretary Bishwa Nath Oli said preventive and remedial measures for Chure’s conservation will intensify and the master plan will be effectively implemented.

Paudel receives Barbara Adams Investigate Journalism Award

Journalist Dilip Paudel of Nagarik daily has been honoured with the Barbara Adams Investigative Journalism Award 2017.

Former President Ram Baran Yadav on Monday handed over the award carrying a purse of Rs 100,001 to Paudel amid a function organised in Kathmandu on the occasion of Loktantra Diwas and the birth anniversary of  Barbara Adams in Kathmandu.

“This award has added more responsibility on me as a journalist. It has also encouraged me to work harder,” Paudel said.

Paudel had written a series of new stories exposing the corruption committed by the senior officials of Nepal Oil Corporation in land purchase case.

Chandra Prakash Pokharel, the foundation’s vice-president, said Paudel was picked by an independent jury from among 45 applicants. 

The foundation also honoured journalist Kalpana Bhattarai for her investigative articles on the involvement of criminal gangsters in crusher industry.