‘Mineral Extraction in Chure Mentioned in Policy, But No Reference to Conservation’
Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, Nepal’s first president, has warned that unless the rampant mineral extraction in the Chure region is halted, the Terai area will turn into a desert within a few decades. He expressed concern that the government’s current policy and program documents discuss mineral excavation rather than conservation efforts for the Chure region. Since nearly 60 percent of Nepal’s population resides in the Chure and Terai areas, he urged the government to enact laws and allocate budgets to protect this vital region.
Dr. Yadav stated, “If the intensive exploitation of Chure and Terai is not stopped, the Terai will become a desert in a few decades.” During his presidency, the Nepal government launched the President’s Chure Conservation Program in fiscal year 2066/67 (2009/10). On Ashad 2, 2071 (June 16, 2014), the government formed the President’s Chure-Terai-Madhesh Conservation Development Committee and later approved a master plan in Jestha 2074 (May 2017). However, this year’s government policy and program do not mention any specific measures regarding Chure conservation.
Reflecting on his lifetime observations, Dr. Yadav recalled that four-cose (a local measure) of bushland has been lost and half of the Chure forest destroyed. He highlighted that deforestation has led to severe shortages of food and water in the Terai-Madhesh region. He emphasized, “If the Terai turns into a desert, the glaciers in the Himalayas will melt within 20 years, ultimately destroying our civilization.” For this reason, he made a special appeal to the current government to establish the necessary legal framework and funding for Chure conservation.
Dr. Yadav underscored that preserving the soil, sand, stone, forests, livestock, and biodiversity of the Chure is essential for the long-term welfare of the nation. He reiterated, “If the Terai becomes a desert, the Himalayas’ glaciers will melt in 20 years, and our culture and civilization will be devastated.”