In light of this claim, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the new industrial area has been gathering dust at the Ministry of Forest for the last six months.

The Parsa National Park has notified the Ministry of Forest not to pass the EIA report citing the proposed industrial area falls at the park’s buffer zone, where no infrastructure is allowed to be built without permission from the park authority.

Amir Maharjan, chief conservation officer of the park, was unavailable for comment.

A project employee said the construction work has not progressed due to the dispute over the location of the proposed industrial area.

The Ministry of Forest has to pass the EIA report to start the construction of the industrial area.

“A Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the industrial area has already been prepared. The government had allocated Rs 5 million to build the infrastructure for the industrial area in the last fiscal year. But the project has not moved forward, as the EIA report has yet to be approved,” said Rajendra Kandel, chief at the Hetauda Industrial Area Management Limited.

Four years ago, the government had announced the construction of an industrial area in Mayurdhap. A year later, a land title of 201 bighas was transferred to the name of the new industrial area.

Project officials said that around 100 industries could be operated inside the proposed industrial area. Nawaraj Aryal, chairman at the Makwanpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Mayurdhap is suitable to build an industrial area, as the area is close to the national highway.