Kathmandu, Jan. 24 : The 26th meeting of the governing board of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) was held in Sauraha, Chitwan today under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah.
The meeting was convened primarily to review the performance of the trust in the current year. The governing board also discussed the strategy paper on the development and management of micro-hydro-projects and KMTNC strategy documents.
In his opening address, His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah stated, “The upgrading of strategic plan should reflect our recent decision to look at the conservation challenges on an eco-regional perspective and also to develop closer contacts and collaboration with other agencies and organisations active in the field of environmental conservation in Nepal.”
Expressing satisfaction over HMG’s policy decision, His Royal Highness added that the decision fits in very well with KMTNC’s own priorities. His Royal Highness also added, “We have to be clear in our mind that our conservation works have to be within national framework supplementing and supporting the efforts of the government in biodiversity conservation as per our mandate.”
His Royal Highness also directed that policy decisions of HMG on the sustainable management of natural resources be taken into account while updating the strategy of KMTNC.
Talking about environmental problems, His Royal Highness stated that the root of all environmental problems lies in human needs and human greed, and effort must now focus on enhancing conservation with human characteristics, or rather with a human face. Conservation was not only a means to conserve species and habitat but must bring change.
His Royal Highness further added that global warming poses a threat not only to the survival of island nations, but also to nations like ours where melting snows will cause major flooding in the lowlands.
Pointing out that 505 million people face water scarcity and according to estimates billions of people will be either living in water-scare of water stressed conditions by 2025, His Royal Highnesss said the nonchalant washing of chemicals and pollutants from industries and automobiles into water systems and water sources remains unabated, and polluted water is a major contributor to one of the largest disparties today’s world faces, the health gap.
Describing our region as one where most of the hungriest concentrate, His Royal Highness said they are also the most undernourished and many survive but a few years.
His Royal Highness also said food production to cater to the needs of this growth is already being tested to its limits, over 400 million people live in countries that have critical land scarcity, the average farm size is continuing to shrink and it becomes more difficult to raise land productivity enough to provide adequate nutrition.
The solution lies in mobilising capital both through domestic savings and by attracting investment from abroad to provide employment and income in rural areas, His Royal Highness pointed out, adding that in this exercise our concern would obviously be to see to it that this accomplishment is in balance and harmony with the environment.
The KMTNC governing board approved the report prepared by the audit and finance committee of the trustees for strengthening the management of KMTNC.
Amidst a special function held here today, His Royal Highness gave away an award to Mr Tirtha Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Bhujung conservation area management committee, for his commitment and contribution towards conservation work in the Bhujung area of Lamjung district. Mr Gurung had played a key role in mobilising local communities for the conservation of natural resources in the area.
Similarly, His Royal Highness also inaugurated a Bird Art Exhibition at the conference hall of NCRTC at Sauraha, Chitwan. His Royal Highness observed the paintings with keen interest and acquired information on the various birds depicted.
The exhibition includes 43 paintings by Hem Poudel on different bird species. Poudel has been painting birds for the last 30 years, beginning in 1970. More than 850 bird species are found in Nepal, 526 in Chitwan alone, and they represent 69 bird families of the world.