Height of Sagarmatha will be announced soon: Minister Aryal

Kathmandu, Jun 8

The government is mapping the country with LIDAR – Light Detection and Ranging – technology in order to create geomatics required for the development work.

The first-ever task of creating digital geographical data and maps will help in development work and disaster forecasting and preparedness.

"This survey will help in creating various types of maps, forecasting of floods, landslides and other disasters and preparedness, planning of roads, railways, irrigation and hydropower projects as well as their cost estimates, evaluation and construction," said Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Kumari Aryal at the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament on Monday.

Digital survey of western Terai will be completed in the current fiscal year 2019/20.

Responding to the queries of the lawmakers about the budget of the ministry, she said that the field work for the mapping of Sagarmatha was completed and its new official height would be announced in the near future.

She also said that the updated administrative map of Nepal, including the area of Kalapani, Lipu Lek and Limpiya Dhura, and Kuti, Gunji and Navi villages, was prepared and published. A joint border task force of Nepal and India is working to resolve the border issues between the two countries and government was committed to address the problem through bilateral talks and diplomatic efforts, said Minister Aryal.

According to her, the online service was launched in 108 land revenue offices across the country and process is underway to expand the service in every office. The new technology allows people to prepare the documents and applications online and check the archives from their home.

The minister also informed the house that land-use map of 531 local bodies was prepared so far and the remaining work would be completed in the current fiscal. The maps would be handed over to the local bodies so that they would plan for the use of barren land.

For the maximum utilisation of the land, the government has also announced the provision of land bank from the next fiscal year 2020/21. Currently, the ministry is preparing the framework and work procedures of the bank. As per the guidelines, people who can't use their land will deposit it in the bank and the latter will find a user for the land.

 

'International airports are in priority'

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai said that the development of international airports was given priority in the budget of the next fiscal.

"High priority is given to the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa and Pokhara Regional International Airport. Both the airports will be ready to operate flight services next year. Construction of Nijgadh International Airport will be started," he said at the House of Representatives on Monday.

Likewise, the conversion of the Tribhuvan International Airport to a boutique airport is in the last phase. Upgrading of airports in Biratnagar, Bharatpur, Surkhet, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi are also in the planning.

However, new airports will be developed in the areas that are not connected by reliable road, have high tourism potential, and can yield high commercial benefits, said Minister Bhattarai.

He also said that budget was allocated to preserve and promote tangible and intangible culture, construct museum, celebrate unique festivals, establish one cultural village in each states, parks and reconstruction of quake-damaged cultural heritages.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 9 June 2020.