KATHMANDU: Preparations have started to formulate the country's national space policy.

The BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium and Observatory and the Tribhuvan University's Institute of Science and Technology have jointly held an international workshop in preparation to this in the light of the fact that the country still lacks a national space policy.

The workshop that will last till June 22 will hold deliberations on 36 working papers to be presented by experts on space science including Dr Binit Aryal, Dr Narayan Chapagain and Dr Ram Prasad Regmi,said Dr Shovakanta Lamichhane, Executive Director of the BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium Observatory and Science Museum.

He said a report on the national space policy will be prepared after the workshop. A task force has been constituted for this purpose under the coordination of the Dean of the TU Institute of Science and Technology.

This initiation has been taken as a significant step towards formulation of the national space policy in the context of Nepal lacking one when other countries have formulated the legislation after preparing the policy.