KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government is to reverse the erstwhile government’s decision to extract and export pebbles, sand and gravels from Chure region.

Making public a common minimum program of the ruling collation on Sunday, the government in its policy and program announced to not allow exploitation of natural resources and means for profit-making.

Likewise, the incumbent government has come up with a policy to put concrete interventions for the conservation of bio-diversity and people’s environmental rights.

It may be noted that the erstwhile government led by CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli in its budget for the fiscal year 2021/22 had announced to reduce trade deficit by exporting stones, pebbles and sand. Laying emphasis on the program to preserve forest, environment and rivers, the present government has taken the policy of preventing Terai-Madhes desertification by making the Chure conservation program effective.

The common minimum program also stated that the government would adopt a policy of multi-purpose utilization and integrated development of big rivers and make Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) a base for project implementation.

“In order to lessen growing temperature of the earth and risks caused by climate change to the lives and livelihoods of the people, the government would work to make the development works environment-friendly, balanced and judicious”.

The government has made public its policy to work in close collaboration with international community and also take the lead role as per own capacity and need to fight against the consequences of climate change.

The common minimum programme was unveiled to promote coalition culture through mutual dialogue, consensus and collaboration among the ruling parties.