Kathmandu. Kathmandu: The Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the Ministry of Forest and Environment to be present in the active role of facilitator for the completion of upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project and other under-construction projects.

Today’s meeting of the committee issued the directive to solve the problems arising out of the environmental impact assessment report of the hydropower projects and the issues pointed out by it.

Committee President Kusum Devi Thapa told RSS after the meeting that the ministry has been directed to facilitate the project as the environmental impact assessment of the project has been completed.

In the meeting, Lawmaker Birendra Mahato stressed the need of maintaining a balance between development and environment, saying development works should not be stopped in the name of protecting the environment.

Lawmaker Saraswati Subba expressed the view that it was not appropriate to adopt a policy to promote electric vehicles for the protection of the environment, but it was not appropriate to obstruct the progress of hydropower projects due to forests. Lawmaker Meena Tamang said the environment should not be destroyed in the name of facilitating hydropower projects.

Similarly, Secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Rajendra Prasad Mishra, stressed the need to remove legal hurdles in the case of hydropower projects that have already undergone investment and EIA.

“Although 95 per cent of the work on any project has been completed, five per cent has been stalled due to the national park and conservation area,” he said. We are ready to facilitate the development and construction works. ’