Conserving Mountain Environment

By Ek Raj Sigdel, Nepal

Having immense natural and cultural value, Nepal's Mountain can be termed as the `Epitome of Paradise' for tourists, trekkers and expeditionary. Fragile mountain environment and subsistence agriculture are contributing to the degradation of the mountain ecosystem. The consequences are aggrandizing the poverty situation in the mountain regions. In order to address these diverse issues, development of sustainable tourism base would be the only viable option for the long-term conservation of environment and thereby contributing to betterment of the mountain communities.

The mountain environment of Nepal, by virtue of their inaccessible nature, has narrow scope for modern development in a cost effective way. Subsistence agriculture and livestock are the main economic source of mountain people. Migratory works elsewhere in Nepal and India is the complementary source of income to these people. The economic condition of the majorities of people in mountain is marginal. Likewise, the agriculture land is limited by the steep topography.
Including the Mt. Everest, Nepal houses eight of the world's fourteen highest mountains. The country has 79% of its area under mountainous topography. Similarly, out of 118 Nepal's ecosystems, 38 are in Mountain region. The mountain region is the meeting point of the major geographical realms of the world - the palaearctic and Indo-Malayan.

The series of the mighty Himalayan ranges separated by some of the deepest gorges are the striking attractions for tourists. While trekking in Nepal, one can see the fantastic snow capped peaks along with the beautiful lakes and smile faced people. Unique flora and fauna are other potential tourist attractions in the mountain environment. Moreover, traditional village, historical sites, culture and architecture of local people deserve special attractions for tourists.

Realizing the higher tourism value, the government of Nepal opened its border for foreigners in 1950s. Since then, the flow of tourists has been in an increasing trend. No doubt, the growing tourist number has contributed a lot to local and national economy of Nepal. For instance, people in Khumbu, Annapurna Conservation Area and Langtang National Park and adjoining areas have been enjoying significant tourism benefits for many years. It has been reported that, because of well­ managed tourism, once declined cultural value of Sagarmatha region has been revived through local initiatives. Monasteries Management Committees, Youth Group, and Youth Club are actively engaged in conserving cultural and natural heritage in this region. Because of the concerted efforts; the environment of Sagarmatha National Park seems to be improving for the last few years.

Yet against this backdrop, concentration of tourism pressure in limited mountain areas has been posing various challenges. Every year hundreds of tons of firewood are used for cooking and campfire. Signs of massive deforestation in some of the trekking sites of Nepal are evident. The destruction of scant vegetation in the alpine regions of Nepal also leads to frequent mudslides, landslides, creep and rock falls as well as silting of the river. The country is experiencing severe inequalities of wealth, low living standards, high unemployment, uneven economic development, as well as heavy dependence on foreign investment and foreign aid. Some high altitude plant species, such as Abies spectabillis, Tsuga dumosa and Rhododendron nivala, are under intense economic pressure aggravated by the tourist pressure. If the present trend continues, the degradation of the mountain environment may cause irreversible damage to the mountain fragile ecosystem and lifestyle of the people.

Recognizing the higher conservation value of mountain ecosystems, His Majesty's Government of Nepal has established 7 Protected Areas (PAs) all along the border of China, covering 78.54% of total PAs in Nepal. These PAs represent 30 on of the 38 ecosystems of the highland. Though, it is relatively less diverse in flora and fauna, they possess a significant number of endemic species. Mountain, endowed with the rich biodiversity, provides an excellent source of revenue for His Majesty's Government of Nepal through eco-tourism management. The most important regions for mountain tourism in Nepal are Annapurna, Khumbu, Sagrmatha and Langtang-Helambu. The three regions, namely Sagarmatha, Langtang and Annapurna Conservation Area combined accounts around 95°l0 of all mountain trekking permits issues and the remaining 5% of trekkers visit Rara National Park, Dolpo, Humla, Makalu and Kanchanjunga. Similarly, about 43% of all international leisure arrivals in Nepal go for trekking.

The relationship between tourism and environment is that of a delicate balance between sustainable community development and safeguarding the environment. Tourism where it has been allowed to run free, has caused more disaster to the natural beauty of the surroundings, destroyed traditional value system, greatly helped accelerating the deforestation and has not really helped population in true, rather it has exploited unmercifully.

To maximize the tourism benefit to the Mountain people and environment, the government should undertake various activities in a planned way. Firstly, locals should be trained on
lodge management, tour guide and interpretation skills. Secondly, in order to develop appropriate tourism facilities and services, a credit facility for local entrepreneurs should be in place. Most importantly, locals should be aware on the importance of maintaining the village architecture, traditions, and wildlife management. Finally, trans-boundary tourism across the trans-border areas, such as Nagpa­la, and Chhentang - Kimathanka should be promoted.

The efforts of HMG of Nepal in establishing the National Parks and Wildlife Reserves in the country are very appropriate strategies towards developing sustainable tourism in Nepal. Integrated mountain environment conservation, community development and tourism promotion is the only option for the betterment of people. It warrants the immediate need of formulating Integrated National Tourism Master Plan and a separate Mountain Development Policy.

Text courtesy: NTTR July 04 - 10, 2005. The Telegraph thanks the publisher of the NTTR.and the author of the article.

Need More Responsible Society

Ek Raj Sigdel
March 15, 2009

The indefinite Terai Band, called by Tharu and other local community group is now over after 14 days. They have put forth the demands of their own language recognition in government works and guarantee of federal structure based on ethnic, regional and lingual identities, among others. The strike was relaxed only for two days during holi festival. However, the agitation was intensified immediately after celebration of the Phagu Purnima, one of the biggest festivals of Terai.

From the very beginning of the strike, all public and private services, like educational institutions, government offices, transportations, and industries, among others were closed completely. Large numbers of Tharu people from nearby villages were thronged at district headquarters of Kailalil and Kanchanpur Districts to make remonstration more effective. They used all the available tools, like steak and torch rally, road blockade, tyre and effigy burning, vandalizing government and private offices and vehicles, among others to make the agitation more audible and effective. In addition, they made their demand public through various local and national electronic and other Medias. The life of local people further crippled when a separate group of students and civil society came onto the street to demonstrate their agitation against the government for its ambiguous decision of establishing university in their district headquarters. Additionally, a group of landless people staged demonstration in front of the District Administration Office, Kailali for including their representatives in Landless Commission and ensuring their daily requirements like food and shelter.

The strike has posed a multiplier effects. Every sector, including economic, environmental, political, and educational institutions was in immense impact from the indefinite strike. Income and employment opportunity of the poorest of the poor segments of society was curtailed. Supplies of goods and services in hilly districts such as Bajura, Bajhanag, and Dadeldhura were completely blocked. So, the hardest hit was in hilly area compared to Terai people. Similarly, over a thousand people of Baisebichuwa, Shankarpur who had to depend on Dhanagdi Market for various income generating activities, like rickshaw riding, and industrial and other labors were desperately waiting for strike free days. In the absence of transportation facilities, daily over 250 mountain people had returned from India were to be stranded at bus parks of the district headquarters. According to a reliable source, Mohana Trans-border Revenue Office, Dhangadi is going collect hardly 50% of the total expected revenue during the month of March 2009.

Burning large number of vehicle tyres, and other plastic materials on the road during these hot days caused several kind of impact, such as headache and hypertension. Consequently, it could contribute to the climate change, which may warrant a separate study. The dependency of poor on firewood increased significantly. However, no notable negative impact on the forest resources for timber and encroachment for settlement was reported during that period. The implementation and monitoring of biodiversity friendly activities were completely obstructed and hence there could be other illegal activities, which is yet to be known.

During the strike period, the public security of the region was further deteriorated. As the smooth flows of public and private services blocked, many people fearfully used nearby Indian road networks. A son of Mr. Ganesh Datta Joshi, Raikabarbichuwa, Kanchanpur who had to return to Kathmandu for resuming service, could not make it due to the ongoing strike and insecure situation on the highway. Government officials and other service holders got threatening for not to open their respective offices. Citing to the field difficulties, the constitution members, who were in the Far Western Development Region had to postpone the community consultation process. Likewise, a group of unidentified people vandalized few Village Development Committee Offices of Kailali. Additionally, some of the protesting students also damaged over a half dozen government institutions, such as District Plant Resources Office, District Education Office and a couple of public and private vehicles.

It is worthwhile to notice that some school children organized a protest rally in front of the Kailali Chief District Office, for halting the strike and resuming their school. This news was also aired by BBC Nepali Service. Because of the strike, regular exams of grade eight and 10 were postponed. Likewise, there is an ongoing strike called by college students of Kailali and Kanchanpur for establishing university in their respective district headquarters. Even, one of the political parties of Kanchanpur has threatened to obstruct movement of government vehicles on the road until decision is made in favor of establishing an university in their district.

On the whole, the strike severely impacted all the sectors of livelihood. At the cost of various difficulties including loss of public life, the demand of the agitating groups is now fulfilled. While looking underlying cause of the protest, it was found that local people were seemingly well aware on their right. To a large extent, this kind of organized movement was an upshot of donors support for making various community groups’ aware on their right. Also, the agitators’ leaders were able to link the poor people’s right with their livelihood opportunities. In addition, the locals’ ambition for fulfilling their demand for livelihood and peace has not satisfactorily addressed by the present government.

In conclusion, it can be learned from the strike that the government should response locals need timely on the one hand and on the other the community groups should simultaneously be made well aware on their responsibilities and consequences of such kind of strike on livelihood opportunities of all sections of society. In the mean time, the donor communities’ support should be for making communities more aware not only their right but also towards their responsibilities for making New Nepal, the very mission of the government.