Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: In a major policy push, Prime Minister Sushila Karki—who also oversees the Ministry of Forests and Environment—has approved long-pending files authorizing seven industrial groups to use national forest land for large-scale extraction of limestone, granite, and iron ore.
The Cabinet meeting held on Monday endorsed permissions that had been stalled inside the ministry for months, opening the door for mining across nearly 80 hectares of national forest area. PM Karki reportedly instructed officials that files already cleared through due process “cannot be held hostage inside the ministry.”
Seven Companies Get Approval
The decision grants forest-land access to the following companies:
Shakti Minerals, Trishakti Holdings, Riddhi Siddhi Cement, Baba Mines and Minerals, Big Plus Minerals, KK Limes and Industries, Annapurna Minerals and Where the Mining Will Take Place.
Shakti Minerals has been allowed to extract limestone on 21.41 hectares of forest land in Mathagadhi Rural Municipality-7, Palpa.
Trishakti Holdings will mine limestone on 20.14 hectares in Rapti Municipality-13, Chitwan.
Riddhi Siddhi Cement received approval to use 21.63 hectares at Bhimfedi Rural Municipality-7, Makwanpur.
Baba Mines and Minerals will extract limestone on 4.99 hectares in Bhimfedi-5, Makwanpur.
Big Plus Minerals is permitted to mine granite on 4.48 hectares of forest land in Bhimfedi-5, Makwanpur.
KK Limes and Industries obtained approval for limestone mining on 2 hectares in Chaudandigadhi Municipality-8, Udayapur.
Annapurna Minerals will extract iron ore from 4.96 hectares in Bagmati Rural Municipality-6, Makwanpur.
The approvals come amid growing demand for industrial minerals and increasing pressure from manufacturing and construction sectors. The decision is expected to draw scrutiny from environmental groups concerned about forest degradation and mining oversight, while industry bodies have welcomed it as a boost to raw-material security and industrial productivity.
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