KATHMANDU, AUGUST 10
The Ministry of Forests and Environment has sought suggestions and feedback on the Draft Plant Bill from stakeholder organisations, agencies, and persons to give it wholeness before its passage from the House of Representatives.
Issuing a notice, the MoFE said it had expected to receive constructive suggestions and feedback in its office at Singha Durbar no later than August 23. The bill has proposed a range of legal provisions for exploration, research, identification, protection, documentation, verification and sustainable use of plants and plant resources.
The bill empowers the Government of Nepal to establish botanical garden for protection of plant and plant resources. Such botanical garden many create seed bank for protection of genetic source of plant species.
The government may also declare any area of the country as special plants zone by specifying its boundary for protection of sensitive and highly important plant species.
Similarly, it allows the provincial governments and local levels to establish provincial and local botanical garden and harborium. The bill prohibits the import of invasive alien plant species that have adverse impacts on plants, biodiversity, environment, and human health.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 11, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
