Considering the increasing vulnerability of fragile Chure region to various natural and human-induced activities, the government on June 17 declared the region as ecological conservation zone and formed a high-level committee led by former Finance Secretary Rameshwor Khanal.

According to Annapurna Nand Das, officiating secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, the committee has already started drafting the master-plan that will inter-link Chure, Bhawar and Tarai districts as a single entity and work towards integrated development programmes addressing the concerns of both upstream and downstream areas in the region. “So far, efforts have been largely concentrated on Tarai districts, which include the downstream region,” he said. The master plan would focus on implementing holistic programmes for each river systems in the region. It is estimated that there are around 26 river systems that flow through the region. “Each river system would be managed as a separate project with allotment of certain required funds,” Das said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the committee started its work by setting up an office on the premise of National Trust for Nature Conservation located at Khumaltar, Lalitpur district. According to ministry officials, the main office of the committee would be set up outside Kathmandu Valley, probably in Chitwan.