Government fully committed to conserving Chure : DPM Poudel

June 9, Kathmandu: The Government of Nepal(GoN) has made it clear that the policy of exporting aggregates to reduce the trade deficit mentioned in the budget for the fiscal year 2021/22 is in no way related to the Chure region.

Addressing a virtual programme organized by the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists on Thursday, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel said the pebble, gravel and sand – to be exported – would be extracted only from 92 quarries of 14 districts which are already identified by the Department of Mines and Geology.

He said attempts were made to politicise the provision in the budget in the name of Chure even though point 199 of the budget which talks about exporting the aggregates had not mentioned the Chure region.

DPM Paudel further added that there would not be any interference in the Chure region’s ecology.

Expressing the commitment of no compromise in Chure area protection, DPM Paudel said Chure is the country’s important heritage and concern over its protection was natural.