Kathmandu, April 18

The Ministry of Urban Development has decided to award the government agency making the greatest contribution to promote greenery in urban areas under the ‘Clean City Programme’.

This is one of the key annual programmes of the ministry in the area of water supply, and sewerage, sanitation and waste management, pollution control, greenery development and promotion, and enhancement of urban aesthetics. A public notice issued by the ministry said the government agency making the greatest contribution to this programme will be honoured.

For this, the ministry has invited proposals from the government agencies willing to contest for the award. The deadline for the submission of the proposal is June. Government agencies and local levels have implemented the Environment-Friendly Local Governance Framework-2013 in their respective areas. As per the directive, government agencies are required to coordinate with concerned Agricultural Development Office, District Forest Office, and District Soil Conservation Office and conduct area-wide tree plantation.

In public spaces and roadsides, different species of trees and shrubs suitable to local topology should be planted.

District education offices are mandated to mobilise schools under their jurisdiction to plant trees on school premises. The Constitution of Nepal has stipulated the right to live in clean environment as a fundamental right of Nepali citizens, and stressed on the need to raise environmental awareness among general people, protect rare wildlife, forest, and biodiversity, utilise them in a sustainable manner, and share their benefits equitably.

The constitution also says that people’s participation is a must for effective implementation of the above-mentioned legal and policy framework. The objectives of the campaign are to mainstream issues related to environment, climate change adaptation, and disaster management in local planning process, and make the local governance system environment-friendly and responsible by starting from the grassroots level.

The campaign aims to adopt environment-friendly sustainable development, and increase local ownership by localising its different dimensions for sustainable management of environment.