KATHMANDU: Around 100 people protested on Monday to voice their opposition to plans to cut down millions of trees to build an international airport in Nijgadh.

The activists picketed the offices of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal and the Department of Forest in Kathmandu, calling for an immediate stop to the plans to build the airport in Nijgadh. It’s estimated that 2.4 million trees will have to be cut down to build the airport, which is expected to cost $3.5 billion.

The protesters alleged that the planned airport would be an environmental disaster because it would destroy forests that are the habitat for wild animals in the area.

Sunil Yadav said, “We are demanding the government immediately stop the plans to cut down the trees and destroy the environment of the region to build this airport.”

Yadav said that an international airport was necessary in the area, but that a new location needs to be chosen where there are no forests or wild animals.

The planned project would also force some 500 families to move from their villages.