Bhaktapur, July 11

The National Wildlife Park has landed a controversy less than two weeks after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone for the same.

The park was planned to be constructed at Surya Binayak in the district comprising areas of seven community forest users’ committees. However, the forest users’ groups now have demanded return of the community forests although they had agreed to provide the forests to the wildlife park in the past.

They have blamed the concerned authority saying that the park was going to be constructed without the locals’ consent and without addressing their demand as per the previous agreement.

Though, the Setidevi, Suryabinayak, Likha Narayan, Manthali, Balkumari and Gauradevi community forests were planned to be developed as wildlife park as per the previous agreement, now locals are demanding return of the community forests saying their demands were neglected.

The Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal (FECOFUN) Chair Rameshwar Bohora objected that the park was being developed without consultation and said the activity was interfering with the authority of the user groups.

He argued that the past agreements did not materialise and public heritages and monuments like temples and public places and natural resources could be encroached if the construction work goes ahead in the same manner as it was developing now.

Bohara further shared that they will continue protest after holding interaction among all community forest users committees if their demands were not addressed.

“The famous Surya Binayak Temple also lies within the zoological park. Our demand is that the temple, road and other structures that the general public has been using for many years should be returned to the community forests themselves,” he said.

The dispute became more complex with the issue that the locals would not be able to use the historical and religious areas, shrines and other structures as roads once the construction of the National Wildlife Park is completed and that the Park could capture these structures.

Bishwaram Thapa, the coordinator of the seven community forest users committees, stated that they had submitted a 27-point demand to the government, which should be addressed.

He added that among other demands were that provisions should be made so that the rights and privileges of consumers were not reduced, the forest area exceeding what is needed for the religious and historical sites and the wildlife park is returned to the community forests themselves, employment to locals and that water source should not be disturbed.

Bharat Mohan Adhikary, then finance minister, had allocated Rs 10 million for the construction of an ‘international-standard zoo.’