Kathmandu, July 1
Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Jeevan Ram Shrestha says constructing the Nijgadh airport is his priority again.
Last month, the Supreme Court had given the government a blow by ordering the cancellation of every activity conducted to construct the international airport in Nijgadh of Bara. Apparently, it was perceived that the court ordered the government not to construct the airport there.
However, the court released the full text of the verdict this week, which says the government still could go ahead with the Nijgadh airport plan if it was ready to do everything from point zero.
The verdict has urged the government to redo the environmental impact assessment and reconsider the area so as to make the minimum adverse impact on the environment.
In this context, Minister Shrestha said in a virtual meeting on Thursday, “The confusion about the plan has ended with the full text coming out. Respecting the court, the government has accorded a high priority to this national pride project. Now, we will move it forward.”
The project has turned controversial with environmentalists protesting the idea of building a mega airport destroying the habitat of hundreds of flora and fauna.
