KATHMANDU — Eminent Nepali conservation groups and environmentalists have called on the country’s Supreme Court to repeal a recently enacted law that opens up conservation areas to private infrastructure. The Nepal National Committee of the global conservation authority IUCN said it fears the law, which authorizes the government to approve infrastructure projects within protected areas, […]

Eminent Nepali conservation NGOs and environmentalists are urging the Supreme Court of Nepal to repeal a controversial law that allows private infrastructure projects within protected areas. This law raises concerns that it will permit developments like hydropower plants, cable cars, and hotels, potentially exploiting natural resources and harming local communities reliant on these ecosystems.

Introduced to attract foreign investment, the law amends existing regulations, easing restrictions on construction in national parks and reserves. Critics, including a committee representing 27 conservation organizations, argue that this could undermine years of conservation efforts and erode public trust in environmental policies, as stakeholders were not consulted during the drafting process.

The Supreme Court has issued an interim stay on the law following a petition, highlighting the contentious nature of the amendments. While some government officials suggest that new guidelines are being developed to manage protected areas better, many worry that this could lead to further exploitation of valuable ecosystems.