KATHMANDU: Even though the government of Nepal initiated the process of construction of the Nijgadh Airport, a second international airport in the country, in Bara district, conservationists warn that the construction might destroy the natural biodiversity corridor particularly used by the wildlife of the Parsa National Park (PNP).

Moreover, the proposed airport, which sprawls over an area of 8045.79 hectares, would require felling of around 2.4 million trees, and according to the Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report, as many as 770,000 trees will have to be chopped down in the first phase.

Environmentalists argue that the project is likely to deplete the buffer zone of the PNP, which they say will also disturb the national habitat.

Conservationists any disturbance in the park’s elephant’s traditional corridor in the area will have negative effect on the population of the wild elephants.

Moreover, a recent Supreme Court (SC) order has stalled the progress. Hearing a petition filed by some environmentalists, the SC ordered the government to stall the process until the final verdict is made.

With this, uncertainty has gripped the process of construction of the airport.

The government, however, seems adamant to go ahead with the construction.