Er.energyNP@Gmail.com

The Tumlingtar–Sitalpati 220 kV Transmission Line Project of the Nepal Electricity Authority has provided 28.48 hectares of replacement land as compensation for the use of forest land.

The project purchased the land and transferred it in the name of the government as compensation for the use of national forest land during the construction of the transmission line and towers. According to Dambar Bhandari, information officer at the Division Forest Office, Sankhuwasabha, the project has provided 28.48 hectares of replacement land.

The project had used national forest land in wards 9, 8, 2 and 10 of Khandbari Municipality. As compensation, 71 plots of land located in ward 4 of Panchkhapan Municipality were purchased and handed over to the Division Forest Office, information officer Bhandari said.

The project completed the registration and transfer of the 71 land plots to the Division Forest Office a few days ago. The land was brought under the government’s name as part of the process of providing replacement land for the use of forest areas.

Meanwhile, the 24.92 MW Induwakhola Hydropower Project, which is being constructed in ward 5 of Makalu Rural Municipality, Sankhuwasabha, has paid Rs 25.225 million in revenue for tree felling.

The project paid the revenue for the felling, care, maintenance and management of trees, said Bhandari, information officer at the Division Forest Office. A total of 607 trees will be felled for the project.

Sankhuwasabha currently has 290 community forests. A large portion of the district is covered by forest. According to available data, forests cover 38,485 square kilometres of the district.

Under the prevailing provisions, when forest areas are used during the construction of major infrastructure and hydropower projects, developers are required to provide replacement land as compensation and environmental mitigation and pay revenue for tree felling. In accordance with these provisions, the transmission line project and the Induwakhola Hydropower Project have fulfilled their obligations related to forest use.

Jalasarokar