KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 15
Stakeholders from the judiciary and forestry sectors have come together to address crimes related to wildlife and environment in Pokhara. Judges representing the Supreme & High court, district Courts of Gandaki Province, government attorneys of the province, forest and national park officials and other stakeholders emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to control wildlife and environmental crimes.
Environmental issues are relatively new to the judiciary. National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) with the support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs(INL) of the United States.
NTNC is collaborating with Judges' Society of Nepal, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation(DNPWC) to sensitize the issues of wildlife crime and building capacity to enhance forest enforcement officers. With the support from INL, NTNC is building the capacity of various levels of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau(WCCB), provincial WCCBs and central level WCCB to curb wildlife crime in the country.
During the discussion at the provincial capital, NTNC Member Secretary Dr. Naresh Subedi said that there is an intensive deliberation on issues related to forest and wildlife crimes involving both the judicial and forestry sectors.
Addressing the program, the Chief Justice of Nepal, Prakashman Singh Raut remarked that clarity on environmental issues expedites judicial decisions. Speaking at the event organized by NTNC and Judges' Society, CJ Raut emphasized that well-defined environmental cases face fewer ambiguities, leading to faster resolutions. 'Environmental issues are clear and straightforward,' he said, "Thus, related cases are resolved faster.' CJ Raut also referenced the Supreme Court's decision on the Godavari Marble Factory of Kathmandu Valley, where the court instructed the government to develop environmental laws. He further pointed out the alarming changes in Nepal's snow-capped mountains are turning black due to melting ice, attributing this to climate change.
Speaking at the two-day event that began on Saturday, Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri underscored the shared responsibility of environmental conservation. He stated that the government has been implementing court decisions related to forests and the environment and stressed the need for significant work in environmental justice. Minister Shahi, who also serves as the Chairperson of NTNC urged for an analysis of the existing challenges and opportunities in environmental justice advocating for their integration into policies and implementation levels.
He expressed confidence in creating a clear roadmap to incorporate the wildlife crime issues into the judiciary. Minister Shahi also pointed out the global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, stressing the need for a common understanding across all state organs.
Former CJ of the supreme court Min Bahadur Rayamajhi stressed the importance of principle-based judicial decisions in wildlife crime issues. Chairman of the special court Tek Narayan Kunwar said that wildlife crime is the fourth-largest organized crime globally and mentioned Nepal's recent efforts to raise such issues in international courts. Speaking at the event, Forest and environment secretary Deepak Kharal acknowledged accusations of being anti-development while engaging in conservation efforts and highlighted the need to amend certain forest-related laws.
NTNC has been coordinating in organizing Provincial and district level Wildlife crime control bureaus meetings across the country with the support of INL. Collaborative discussions and conferences have been held across different provinces of Nepal in coordination with the Judges' Society and DNPWC. Over the past year, more than 100 judges from various judicial levels, including the Supreme Court, High Courts, and District Courts, participated in NTNC's programs on wildlife crime and environmental justice where hundreds of forest officers were a part. Senior conservation officer of NTNC, Ambika Prasad Khatiwada mentioned NTNC's initiatives to rehabilitate individuals who have served prison sentences for wildlife crimes, through livelihood programs. In Chitwan, NTNC has implemented livelihood-focused programs targeting economically vulnerable communities to prevent them from engaging in wildlife crimes.
During the event, the discussion included presentations by Supreme Court Justice Til Prasad Shrestha, Forest Secretary Deepak Kharal, Director General of DNPWC Ram Chandra Kandel and Joint secretary of the forest department Sindhu Prasad Dhungana and others. 'Coordination and collaboration between the judiciary and the forestry sector not only help control crimes but also address ambiguities in law enforcement effectively,' Conservation officer of NTNC, Gobinda Prasad Pokharel said.
