A top official at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) told Republica that the panel has recommended the government to put in place a mechanism to regulate the growing exports of river products from Nepal which caused environmental degradation.[break]
“The report submitted by the panel has stressed the need to regulate exports of sand and aggregates from Nepal by formulating appropriate policy. It has not called for complete ban on exports; it recommends the government to contain unrestricted exports of river products,” Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary at the OPMCM, told Republica on Sunday.
The committee led by joint secretary at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE) had joint secretaries from line ministries such as Ministry of Commerce and Supplies; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation; Ministry of Industry; and Ministry of Local Development as members. It was asked to recommend measures for the management of excavation of river products and their exports to southern neighbor.
The committee led by Shankar Adhikari had submitted its report to Chief Secretary Lila Mani Poudel a few days ago.
“The government will take necessary steps to control unhindered excavation and exports of river products once the Chief Secretary is done with studying the report,” added Baskota.
The OPMCM had directed MoSTE to form the committee after the Supreme Court ordered the government two and half years ago to regulate excavation of sand and aggregates and limit their exports.
The Natural Resources Committee of the then legislature-parliament had also ordered the government to regulate the use and trade of those products by conducting Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for excavation works.
Despite this, export of sand and aggregates had resumed after 8-9 months. According to Baskota, who is also a former revenue secretary, the government has been mobilizing around Rs 2 billion in revenue from excavation, transportation and trade of sand and aggregates. “The government used to mobilize Rs 580 million a year four years ago,” said Baskota.
According to conservative estimate, around 2,000 truckloads of sand and aggregates are exported to India every day.
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