Kathmandu, August 13
As many as 151,785 trees have to be chopped down to construct the Kathmandu-Terai fast track, according to a study conducted by the Ministry of Forest and Environment.
The Ministry says an environmental impact assessment carried out recently has calculated the number of trees that should be cut down.
To recover the loss, total three million and 794,635 trees should be planted, according to the assessment. The Ministry’s Under Secretary Jwala Shrestha says existing legal provisions have it that one chopped down tree should be replaced by 25 new plants in such projects.
The official further adds that the government has to allocate land to the project to plant trees.
The Nepali Army is constructing the 76.2 km four-lane road.
Meanwhile, the national military organisation says it is planning to cut down trees only when there is necessity. Project Chief, Major General Yogendra Bahadur Khand, says the number of trees to be cut down will be less than concluded by the assessment.
The Nepali Army is expecting to complete it in next four years.
The much hyped project is one of the national pride projects of the government.
