Ministry Approves 26 Project EIA Reports in One Year

Kathmandu. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment has approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports of 26 projects in one year.

According to the ministry, the area determination reports of 32 projects were approved in the fiscal year 2082/83. During this period, 26 EIA reports and six supplementary EIA reports were approved.

Similarly, nine revised environmental management plans have been approved, and seven projects have been given consent for modification of their environmental management plans. Fifteen projects have received approval for supplementary studies. The deadline for five projects has been extended, and six projects have been fined.

Most of the projects for which EIA has been approved are hydropower projects. In one year, the ministry has approved the EIA of the 90 MW Marsyangdi semi-reservoir hydropower project and the 270 MW Bheri-1 semi-reservoir hydropower project.

Similarly, the EIA of the 341 MW Budhigandaki Hydropower Project, the 91.15 MW Budhigandaki River Hydropower Project, and the 35 MW Upper Apsukhola Hydropower Project has also been approved.

According to the ministry, the EIA of the 88 MW Rolwaling, 30 MW Upper Dudh Khola Hydropower Project, and 34.39 MW Super Budhigandaki Hydropower Project has also been approved.

Most of the projects for which supplementary EIA has been approved are also hydropower projects. These include Sankhuwa Khola Hydropower Project, Simbhuwa Khola Hydropower Project, and Manang Marsyangdi Hydropower Project.

The number of hydropower projects is also higher among the projects for which revised environmental management plans have been approved. These include Super Tamor, Upper Balefi, Tinau Khola, Rolwaling Khola, Balefi Khola, and Kaligandaki Gorge Hydropower Projects.

Regarding electricity transmission lines, the revised environmental management plans for the Lapsiphedi-Ratamate, Ratamate-New Hetauda, Ratamate-New Damouli, New Damouli-New Butwal, and New Butwal-Nepal-India border 400 kV double circuit transmission lines, as well as the Ratamate, New Damouli, and New Butwal 400 kV substations, have also been approved. These transmission lines and substations are being constructed through the US government-funded MCA-Nepal project.

Similarly, the ministry has also approved the revised environmental management plan of the 201 MW Upper Marsyangdi Hydropower Project.

Most of the projects for which consent has been given for the modification of the environmental management plan are also hydropower projects. These include Rolwaling Khola, Kalika Kaligandaki, Tamor Khola-5, Kaligandaki Gorge, and Madhya Tadi Khola Hydropower Projects.