Kathmandu, Aug. 23
The Inter-Modal Transport Development Board (IMTDB)
has submitted the modified Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the
Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Dodhara Chandani of Kanchanpur district to the
Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) on Thursday.
The IMTDB submitted the report to the Ministry about
five months ago but has amended its Environment Management Plan (EMP) as per
the suggestions of the latter.
However, the MoFE approved the document then with the
condition of amendment. "After the approval of the MoFE, modifications
were made in the EMP of the EIA study report, and the draft report of the
revised EMP has been submitted to the Ministry through the Ministry of
Industry, Commerce and Supply (MoICS) for approval. NITDB is an agency under
the MoICS that is responsible for developing and managing critical trade
infrastructures like dry ports and ICPs.
With the approval of the revised EMP, the door
will be opened for the construction of an ICP and dry port with
state-of-the-art business infrastructure to facilitate trade in Sudurpashchim Province.
Under this project, a road, parking area,
platform, warehouse, tow-bridge, container yard, passenger terminal, customs
office, bank, livestock/food laboratory (quarantine) administrative building
and other structures will be constructed.
It is estimated that the construction of
this project will cost around Rs. 5.76 billion Nepali rupees. Informed Ashish
Gajurel, Executive Director of the NITDB. The project will be built with the
financial and technical support of the Government of India.
According to Gajurel, the project will support in the
overall economic development of the Sudurpashchim Province which is lagging in
economic development compared to other regions of the country. The
infrastructure will facilitate international trade to and through India.
As per the project development plan, the facility will
be developed at the Gaurishankar Community Forest (63 hectares) in Dodhara
Chandni Municipality of Kanchanpur district, Ward No. 1.
Nepal and India had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding for the construction of the proposed ICP during the visit of then
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ last year.
Since this project will be built with the help of
India, it will be built according to the detailed project report prepared by
India, so only 42.36 hectares of land will be used in the first phase out of
the total 63 hectares proposed for the project, Gajurel said.
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