Chure conservation elevates local people’s lifestyle: President Bhandari

SINDHULI: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said conservation of Chure region would ensure change in lifestyle of local people.

Addressing a program after tree plantation at Jhunga of Dudhauli Municipality-3, Sindhuli, on Thursday, President Bhandari said the Chure conservation would also contribute to creation of jobs at local levels.

The President launched the 8th Chure Day, 2079 by planting ‘bar and peepal’ saplings in Bishal community forest.

She underscored that the Chure region is not only the habitat of varieties of wild animals but also the mine of plants and medicinal herbs. It is the region that has the source of irrigation water, she added.

According to her, conservation of Chure region helps prevent Tarai-Madhes from natural disaster.

The Head of the State urged the newly elected local representatives to forward development activities taking into account the rights of people and environmental degradation. Extraction of natural resources as pebbles and sand should not jeopardize environment, she made them aware.

The Chure ecosystems must be protected, President Bhandari said, adding that sustainability of ecosystem is linked to the life of people, animals and plants. Time has come to reconsider how the ecosystems damaged in the past due to rapid urbanization, population explosion and migration can be restored.

She further believed that tree plantation is for expansion of forest area, conservation of biodiversity, prevention of land erosion, increase in water resources and creation of job opportunity for the local people.

The President, however, said only plantation of trees is not enough, proper care and conservation is imperative. Skills to harness benefit from forest is equally important, according to her.

The tree plantation program was also attended by Chief Minister of Bagmati Province, Rajendra Prasad Pande, Minister for Forest and Environment, Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, and others.

A total of 16,000 tree samplings of peepal, mango, jackfruit, bar would be planted in 10 hectares of land as part of the plantation campaign.