Digo Bikas Institute, Harin Nepal and Power Shift Nepal jointly organized a virtual roundtable discussion on the topic Nijgadh International Airport- People, Biodiversity and Future. What is atstake? The international airport at Nijgadh is one of the most contentious development projects in Nepal because the it threatens irreversible loss to biodiversity and the community. Sanjay Adhikari, a public interest litigator who has been engaged in the Nijgadh international airport public litigation, and one of the petitioners to the supreme court, mentioned that the environment impact assessment report (EIA) of the airport is flawed and should be called environment impact non-assessment. The destruction of the environment and biodiversity and displacement of the community in the proposed airport site questions the fundamental right to live in a healthy environment as enshrined in the constitution of Nepal. He also mentioned that the Supreme Court has given an order not to chop the trees for the construction whereas there has been a conflicting decision from the parliamentary committee and President’s office to start the project. Adhikari urged participants to stand together and raise the voice about the ecocide being committed in the name of the development through Nijgadh international airport.
