KATHMANDU, JANUARY 4
Students from Kathmandu University School of Law have launched a comprehensive eco-justice initiative focusing on environmental governance and community impacts along the Roshi River corridor.
The student-led project combines field research, community engagement and policy dialogue to address concerns linked to unregulated sand and stone mining and environmental degradation in affected areas. Field visits have been conducted in Kalati, Panauti, Banepa and Bethanchwok, where students carried out water, soil and air quality assessments.
The initiative began with a panel discussion at Kathmandu University on environmental justice and sustainable governance, followed by school-level awareness programmes to promote youth engagement in environmental protection.
As part of its governance focus, the team has filed Right to Information requests seeking official data on land use, mining permits and regulatory oversight. Findings from these requests are being used to support dialogue with local governments.
A local governance dialogue involving municipal representatives from Bethanchwok, Dhulikhel, Banepa and Panauti has also been held to discuss cooperative approaches to environmental protection. The team is documenting the process through a documentary aimed at amplifying community voices.
The initiative, supported by the British Council and AYON, is expected to expand further with the formation of a Women's Climate Champion Group to strengthen community-level environmental leadership.