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Hamro Aawaj Hamro Ban (Our Voice, Our forest)
Namaskar, welcome to this new episode 'Hamro Aawaj Hamro Ban'. This is Samjhana
Poudel from the studio of Nepal FM 91.8 at Ravi Bhawan, Kathmandu. This program has
been prepared with the support of CSE's Media Resource Centre. You can listen to this
program every Sunday from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm at 10 different radio stations located in
different parts of the country. You can also listen to us online at
www.nepalfmnetwork.com
According to meteorologists and weather experts, temperature is rising in Nepal by
0.006 degrees every year. As a result glaciers are melting gradually. Due to the rise in
temperature agriculture in the terai region has also been affected. Statistics released by
different organisations also show that production of rice, mustard etc have decreased in
large quantity. A data released in 2007, clearly demonstrates that gases such as carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc have increased in the atmosphere. According to a
report prepared by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment, deforestation
has contributed about 20 percent of the production of greenhouse gases. It also justifies
that preservation of forest is must to reduce the gas present in the atmosphere and to
promote the agriculture.
Last week we presented discussions with government official and other stakeholders
concerning the ongoing deforestation in Banke district of western Nepal. In today’s
episode, we will present a radio report prepared on the impact of encroachment in forest
on agriculture and wildlife in Banke district. We will also present a discussion with
Ganesh Sah, Minister for Science, Technology, and Environment. First of all, let us listen
to a radio report prepared on the parallel impact over the agriculture and wildlife.
In the last few years, climate change has become a serious concern for all the people all
over the world. Experts say that mostly the terai region of Nepal has been affected by
climate change. Agricultural produce has reduced in large quantity. According to a
report, the nature of rain has also changed in comparison to the previous decades.
Kuldip Poudel, natural resources management officer for a non-governmental
organization, CARE Nepal International located in Banke district says that climate
change has changed the nature of rain. Due to the unusual change in temperature,
production of many food crops and cash crops have decreased. Gradual rise in
temperature has direct effect to these crops. It is seen as an effect of climate change,
Poudel says.
During the decade of 1990 B.S, annual rainy days were calculated at 90 days every
year. But rainy days have decreased to 78 days per year. Not only the rain has
decreased, climate change has also lead to the other impacts such drought, erosion,
excess raining etc. Officer of CARE International Poudel further stresses that
deforestation is the major cause of climate change.
Rampant destruction of forest is the major cause for the rise in temperature.
Trees absorb gases such as carbon dioxide. But deforestation has reduced the capacity
of forests absorb gases thus contributing to climate change. Industrialization has
contributed to it, says Poudel.
Government data also shows that more forests in Banke district have been encroached
than other districts of Nepal. 1,780 hectare of forests have been encroached in total. But
the government has failed to remove people who have made their settlements in the
forest areas. The officials of the District Forest Office in Banke put all the accusations on
political parties.
District Forest Officer, Shyam Prasad Sharma: Global warming and deforestation
have direct relation. Similarly, global warming has converse relation with agriculture. On
one hand, promotion of forest helps to reduce the effect of global warming and on the
other it prevents our nature from drought, erosion and excess rain. So people who are
making their houses in the forest areas should be removed from there and all the
political parties should help the local administration in this regard. They should shun their
double standard regarding the preservation of forests.
Purna Sunuwar, activist working for the welfare for the landless people says that in most
of the encroachment cases landless and the homeless people were not involved. He
also says that most of the encroachment cases are directly linked to land agents.
Purna Sunuwar: Landless and homeless people have been accused of encroaching the
forests but it is not true at all. People who have access to the high-ranking officials are
active in this case. They are practicing their power in foul manner. But they are putting
all the accusations on the poor. This should be probed fairly.
Out of the 13,295 hectares of forest, 1,962 hectares have been preserved under the
community care. The forests that have been handed over to the community have been
found to be effective in the preservation. With this fact in mind government should hand
over all the forests of Nepal to the communities.
You just listened a radio report prepared on the impact of deforestation. Though Nepal is
said to produce 0.0025 percentage of greenhouse gas, alarming signals have been
seen. Water level in most of the snow lakes have risen so that its safety has been the
subject of concern for many people. During the past three decades, temperature in the
Himalayan region has risen from 0.15 degree to 0.6 degree. Due to climate change,
many lakes and streams in Nepal are in critical situation. Though climate change has
been a global problem, Himalayan countries and Islands are the most vulnerable.
Because of its global nature, many people from different countries have launched
campaign against climate change. Regarding the action taken by the Nepalese
government against the growing impact of climate change, we have a talk discussed
with Ganesh Sah, Minister for Science, Technology and Environment.
Samjhana: Climate Change has sought the attention of people all over the world. What
is the government of Nepal doing to minimize the impacts?
Ganesh Sah: We are very serious towards this problem because climate change mostly
affects the Himalayan countries. Nepal should lead the campaign against climate
change. As Nepal is a bio-diverse country, we are most vulnerable. Climate change has
two types of effect. One can be seen and other cannot be seen. Present energy crisis is
the visible effect of climate change. Due to the rise in temperature, snow at the top of the
Himalayas melted so that water in the stream decreases in large quantity. Most of the
inhabitants in the Himalayan region are vulnerable, so we are making some adaptation
plan for these people. We are also doing some studies to find out the impacts.
Samjhana: Meteorologists and other experts have said that Nepal has been affected by
the climate change. How aware is the government of Nepal?
Ganesh Sah: We are serious and sincere towards it. We know that we are facing the
punishment for the errors committed by other countries. We are rich in bio-diversity. But
due to global warming it is also on the verge of extinction. Countries like Nepal are most
affected by this problem. So we are raising our voice that we should be compensated by
the developed and industrialized countries.
Samjhana: You also stressed that climate change is most dangerous for countries like
Nepal. What is the government doing for people who are likely to be highly affected by
this disaster?
Ganesh Sah: The government of Nepal is working jointly with non-governmental
organisations in this sector. We are launching a national policy on climate change. We
are also promoting alternative energy. At the same time we are implementing adaptation
plans for people in the Himalayan region. So at the national level we are working at three
levels. Issuing policies, making some action plans and adaptation plans. We are also
doing research and studying the impact effect of the climate change. At the same time
we are also spreading awareness among people on the preservation of forests.
Samjhana: Ministry of Forest claims that Nepal can take the benefits from the carbon
trade. You have also participated in different national and international conferences. Do
you think we can gain much benefit from carbon trade as claimed by the forest ministry?
Ganesh Sah: We are earning 8 dollars per metric ton of carbon dioxide. Nepal's biofuel
has been categorized under carbon trade by the international community. So far carbon
trade goes the procedures are very complicated and ambiguous. We are also
demanding that these procedures should be made easier.
Samjhana: Carbon trade has shown great possibilities for countries like Nepal. At the
same time encroachment is also rampantly going on. In this situation what have you
thought for the preservation and promotion of the forests?
Ganesh Sah: I have thought for few measures. In most of the cases people encroach
the forest for settlement and they cut trees for firewood. We should address their
problem first so that we can take other steps. We should make arrangements for the
homeless people and promote alternative fuel. Government should subsidise these
people for fuel such as kerosene and cooking gas. We have started to implement few of
them. Government has thought of a plan that each and every household should be the
producer of energy. We have to produce solar energy, bio energy or hydro energy. At
large scale we have appealed the investors to invest in the production of energy and in
small scale we should produce it ourselves. Government also subsidizes such
households.
You just listened a discussion with Minister for Science and Technology. Minister
Ganesh Sah stressed the need to preserve forests to reduce the impacts of climate
change. As gases have no boundaries, developing countries like Nepal are suffering
from the greenhouse gas produced by the developed countries. Climate change has
been equally challenging to all the countries in the world. It needs collective effort, and
cooperation among all the countries to overcome this challenge. To overcome this
challenge, forests all over the world should be promoted.
We are now at the end of the program. What did you feel regarding today's
presentation? Please don't forget to write us. Our address is:
Hamro Ban (Our Forest)
Nepal FM Network 91.8
POB 19477
Ravi Bhawan Kathmandu
Our email address– forestnature@gmail.com
Before wrapping up the program, we offer our gratitude to CSE's Media Resource
Centre for its support in the production of this program. And thanks to Mr Tanka
Neupane for his technical assistance. Promising to be back again next Saturday on your
radio sets, me Samjhana sign-off from the program. Good night!