The New International Airport will also have an environmental cost…
For many years now, the “airports” subject has become an everyday topic and constant Nepali political brawl…
While most agree it is an essential asset to the country’s tourism development program, and concerning its more than needed economic growth, it has only been putting forward a lack of organization and divided public opinion.
As a fourth airport project “soon to be built” in Nijgad for 2025 is once more creating a lot of controversies. Even though, it is finally on its way to being build after none less than 25 years of turnarounds. Inhabitants of the country who have been closely following the development of the story since its launch in 1994 (the year the project was passed), are still in doubt… At first, the problem was ideas, then money, and now it is ecology…
Nijgad and the concerned eco-friendly citizens of Nepal
It is now the turn to the new international airport project in Nijgad to receive a “tremendous amount of backlash”. A lot of “concerned citizen” agree with the project, but disagree on its location.
Indeed, it’s future location has been designed in the middle of the national forest considered as Nepali Lungs. It is no less than 2.4 million trees dispatched on 8000 hectares of terrain that are going to be cut down and sold for space and funding.
The location was chosen according to three factors: Proximity with Kathmandu, Space needed for international standards including the “airport city project”, and to reduce expenses by selling the reclaimed timber.
Of course, the government has promised a “replantation program” to cushion the ecological loss… But can it be trusted?
As an example; the thousands of trees dug out for the extension of Ring Road are still nowhere to be seen due to a “lack of budget” according to the Department of Forest Research and Survey. So people are obviously getting increasingly skeptic regarding the government use of words such as “Replantation Program” easily thrown in the face of the environmental activists.
But trees are not the only issue here.
The very fragile and unique eco-system Nepal harbors dwells in this area: 26 species of mammals, 9 birds, and 3 reptiles are to be considered vulnerable or threatened. Rare birds and other endangered life forms use this location as a rest area and a home. Others, such as elephants, have to walk through the future airport zone in order to achieve their breeding migratory path…
And let’s not forget all the impact that comes with deforestation: the phenomenon of regression of the areas covered by forest is by definition “a massive human direct extension of urbanization” which doesn’t really go along with mother natures plans. More than half of the planets entire forests have already disappeared during the last century exposing soil, making it more vulnerable to climate, and less inclined to carry future life.
It is also a factor of erosion: On even slight slopes, deforestation aggravates landslides, avalanches, and mudslides, increases turbidity and pollution of watercourses, to the detriment of most animal, plant species and human inhabitants of the valleys…
Finally, the trees are also, and will always be, the best chance humanity has for its long term fight against air pollution and climate change. We will all agree that fresh air is more than needed in the Kathmandu District.
Therefore, why choose this location?
The Environmental Investigation Agency Report, obliged before any massive environmental threatening constructions doesn’t really make any sense of clarity.
It is hard to understand why it declared this location eligible for destruction. And in the meantime, does not offer logical enlightenment to the protestors.
In substance, it acknowledges the list of danger I just exposed but still gives the project a green light based on unconstructive and even illogical explanations; such as the statement that mammals will naturally reroute their migration path. (Yes, I am pretty sure the elephants are not going to walk across the airport*). The problem is the fact they have to change it in the first place and find a new one!
“EIA is basically a joke,” dared to declare an anonymous activist (*) present during the meeting held on the subject a few days ago.
But unfortunately, the government isn’t the only actor who has a saying on the matter. With more than 30 foreign investors and India’s technical conditions submitted for the take-off and landing platform, it is hard to know who handles the lead.
So the question is: What is Nepal’s current priority? Environment or Economy?
The People’s Response
On February the 16th, a group of “concerned citizen” (how they identify themselves) organized a public debate during an open house event on the subject of the airport in Dillibazar, Kathmandu. The event was relayed on Facebook and more than 50 people attended. Some of them were members of the ecological association, mountain guides, but also students, foreigners and random inhabitants of the capital.
“We invite all of you who want to join hands, who want to ask questions, who agree and those who disagree, the ones who want to start a dialogue. We invite you to talk about alternatives, about narratives, about what has happened, about what will happen and then be part of a solution based campaign that we have derived from months on the field.” Organizers of the Open House.
What needs to be put forward now, is that the gathering is NOT against the airport construction, but it’s location.
A panel of experts has already suggested an alternative site that is not so far from the current one which, and most importantly, does not include the cutting down of trees or changing the elephant’s migratory paths. But no answer has been given by the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation.
”Our government takes suggestions as threats…It needs to listen to its citizen! And if they have any reason to believe we are misinformed it’s their duty to explain it to us.” explained a person attending the event.
The debate, supposed to be a public exchange, mostly turned around explaining what is happening to the people.
Because, the truth is, this airport project has created so much friction and has been put to another day so many time, current administration wants the result to reinforce its leadership, and they are afraid contestation will somehow stop that. Consequently, this is nearly (satirically spoken) a top-secret project, as hardly any information about the construction plan has been released to the great number recently.
