By A Staff Reporters

Kathmandu, Dec. 22: Peoples’ representatives and experts said that the construction and operation of Nijgadh International Airport was important for the prosperity of State 2 and the entire country.
Speaking at an interaction, economists, environmentalists, technicians and people’s representatives underlined the construction of Nijgadh International Airport as only the best option to cater to the increasing flow of aviation passengers and tourists in the country.
They, however, stressed on mitigating the adverse environmental and economic impacts in the local level while constructing the national pride projects.
Former minister and member of House of Representative from Constituency 1 of Bara district Uma Kanta Chaudhari said that he had the assumption that the Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track and Nijghad International Airport should not be cancelled under any pretext.
He said that both the projects were very crucial for the development of State No. 2 and the entire country.
Chaudhary, however, said that the development should not be taken indifferently ignoring the environmental concerns.
Locals of Bara districts are very positive for the development of the airport and also are worried about effects on the irrigation facility utilised by the community through the proposed airport site.
Ram Babu Yadav, member at House of Representatives from Bara Constituency No. 3, said that 10 local levels that lies south of the airport would be affected from the construction.
He said that resident of those local levels were worried about the possible effect on irrigation, drinking water which were based on the water sources based on construction site.
He said that the project should be forwarded by minimising the adverse environmental and economic effects to the region and ensuring the benefits to the affected people from the airport.
“The entire country would take the benefits of the airport construction, but its environmental and economic cost would fall only to the local people,” he said. “Therefore, there should be special provision of ensuring benefits of the airport to the local people,” he added.
Rajan Pokharel, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), said that Nijgadh was only the appropriate place to build a full-fledged and unrestricted international airport technically and economically.
He said that Tribhuvan International Airport, Bhairahawa and Pokhara airport could not make full-fledged international airport due to geographical constraints.
He further said that the upgrading of Bhairahawa and Pokhara Airport could not meet the increasing demand of the aviation sector for long.
Economists Dr. Shankar Sharma said that construction of Nijgadh airport was very important to Nepal for which tourism is one of the important areas of comparative advantage for the country’s development.
He said that State No. 2 would be an industrial hub of the country after the construction of Nijgadh International airport.
Another economist Dr. Govinda Bahadur Thapa said that construction and operation of full-fledged international airport at Nijgadh would have a positive impact on the country’s exports as it could also handle cargo planes.
Environmentalists Ripu Mardan Kunwar said that, environmentalists were not against the economic development as it had been presented in media.
Environmentalists are also in favour of constructing Nijgadh International Airport. However, there are concerned that the government should have a proactive strategy to mitigate the possible environmental impacts from it.
Other people’s representatives from Bara and Parsa districts and experts also highlighted the importance of the airport construction.