The Lumbini provincial government has started a bamboo plantation campaign in all 12 districts of the province to create biological embankments along the banks of various rivers.

The Ministry of Industry, Forest and Environment has initiated the campaign through 14 Division Forest Offices of the 12 districts.

“The objective of planting bamboo on the riverbanks is to form biological embankments to prevent erosion and floods,” said Mohan Paudel, division forest officer in Palpa.

Rudra Bahadur GC, a resident of Jhyangla in Tinau Rural Municipality-2, recalls the devastating floods of 1981 in the Dobhan stream that wreaked havoc in riverbank settlements. The calamity had killed 15 people and rendered around 45 households homeless.

Floods in the Dobhan stream continued to cause huge destruction in Akkaleghat, Chisapani, Dol and Dobhan Bazaar for many years.

The construction of the biological embankments is underway with the coordination of the local Bandelpokhari Community Forest Users’ Committee, Tinau Sub-Division Forest Office and the Division Forest Office in Palpa.

“Bamboo saplings are being planted along the Dobhan stream now,” said GC.

According to Ramdhyan Sah, the assistant forest officer at the Tinau Sub-Division Forest Office, works are underway to plant around 600 bamboo saplings along a 1.5-kilometre section of the Dobhan and Tinau streams.

“This is a sustainable approach to building embankments. Once the biological embankments are formed, it will help reduce flood damage along the riverbanks and nearby settlements,” said Sah.

Incidents of erosion and inundation near rivers and streams have increased in various districts of Lumbini Province of late.

Padam Shakya, chairman of Tinau Forest Coordination Committee, said that the risk of floods and landslides can be controlled with biological embankments. “Bamboo plantations can save both human lives and properties,” said Shakya.

Paudel, the division forest officer in Palpa, said bamboo plantation works in Purbakhola and Arunkhola bank areas have been completed.

“Bamboo saplings are growing there,” he said.

The Ministry of Industry, Forest and Environment has allocated Rs 14 million for the campaign in the current fiscal year.

“The budget is being used by 14 Division Forest Offices of the province to plant bamboo on around 110 kilometres of riverbank areas,” said Rajendra KC, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Forest and Environment.