“We at the committee´s meeting today (Sunday) decided to seek details from the NA and the ministry because the park, which is also a world heritage site, is guarded by the national army,” committee Chairman Ram Nath Dhakal told Republica. Security agencies including the national army fall under SAC jurisdiction.[break]
The committee asked the NA if it allowed the ministry of physical planning and works to construct the over 50-kilometer road or the ministry was constructing the road keeping the national army in the dark.
Some lawmakers, including Pampha Bhusal and Khusi Ram Pakhrin of the UCPN (Maoist), Arjun Joshi of the Nepali Congress (NC) and Pradeep Gyawali of the CPN-UML raised the issue at the meeting.
“This issue is not only related to the security of international border, national park and deforestation but is also crucial in view of protecting Chure range,” said Bhusal. “Therefore, we decided to seek details from the army.”
Gyawali said they raised the issue because such massive construction is reportedly being planned without holding any discussion with the concerned agencies. Locals of Chitwan have taken to the streets to protest the decision to construct the road through the national park, which is renowned as a habitat of the endangered one-horned rhino.
“We have taken the issue seriously because CNP is a world heritage site,” said Gyawali.
Joshi said the construction is not even mentioned in the programs of the annual budget.
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