Tourism Info Nepal

State Minister Rupa BK Urges Key Amendments in Park Regulations

State Minister Rupa BK Urges Key Amendments in Park Regulations

Federal Minister of State for Forests and Environment, Rupa BK, has announced that preparations are underway to amend the National Parks Act and the Buffer Zone Management Regulations. She made the remarks during a program organized today by Parsa National Park in Hetauda.

Minister BK emphasized that the existing laws governing national parks have not been citizen-friendly and called for a balance between wildlife conservation and development. The event served as a policy dialogue to collect suggestions from stakeholders on reviewing and improving the current legal provisions regarding national park and buffer zone management.

Highlighting the shortcomings of the current framework, Minister BK noted that the prevailing laws have created an environment of blame-shifting among various parties, necessitating reforms. She further stated that political instability in the past delayed necessary amendments to these laws.

Ekalal Shrestha, a member of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly, stressed the need to resolve issues in buffer zones immediately. He suggested that if boundary adjustments are not feasible, resettlement of affected communities should be considered.

Ram Chandra Khatriwada, Senior Conservation Officer at Parsa National Park, provided an update on the park’s current status. He noted that improvements in wildlife habitats have led to an increase in the population of wild animals.

Ekraj Sigdel, a conservationist from the Terai Arc Landscape, underscored the importance of developing buffer zones as bridges for coordination and development.

The event, chaired by Bed Kumar Dhakal, Deputy Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, saw participation from key stakeholders, including Lalit Ghalan, District Coordination Committee Chief; Meena Kumari Lama, Mayor of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City; Sita Pulami Magar, Vice Chairperson of Manahari Rural Municipality; and Tirtha Raj Chiluwal, Chief District Officer of Makwanpur. They collectively stressed the need to address the pressing issues in buffer zone areas.

The discussions marked a critical step towards creating laws that foster coexistence between communities and wildlife while advancing sustainable development.

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