Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Kulman Ghising has publicly criticized Nepal’s rigid forest management laws, asserting that they are a major impediment to the country’s economic development and proper utilization of natural resources.
Speaking at an event organized by the National Youth Council on Wednesday, Minister Ghising stated that the overly restrictive laws—implemented in the name of “ecology protection”—are costing the state substantial economic opportunities and forcing a heavy reliance on imports.
“It is more difficult to cut one tree than to harm a person. With Acts and Laws like these, the country cannot develop,” Minister Ghising sharply remarked, suggesting the legislative framework must be fundamentally reformed.
$40 Million Import DependencyMinister Ghising revealed the stark economic paradox created by the current policies: Nepal is forced to import an estimated NPR 4 billion (approx. $30 million–$40 million USD) worth of timber and wood products annually from countries like China and Malaysia.
Conversely, he lamented that the nation’s own raw timber, available in domestic forests, is left to rot and decay because the current laws make it virtually impossible to harvest and utilize commercially.
‘Five Years to Cut One Tree’Ghising slammed the current forest management regime as excessively bureaucratic, highlighting that the process makes it “difficult to cut even a single tree in five years.”
He stressed that if Nepal is to achieve its development goals, the upcoming leadership must address these significant policy hurdles and focus on the sustainable and beneficial utilization of its vast natural resources.
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