Modified EIA submitted for Dodhara ICP

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 24: The Inter-Modal Transport Development Board (IMTDB) has submitted the modified Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Dodhara Chandani of Kanchanpur district to the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) on Thursday.

The IMTDB submitted the report to the Ministry about five months ago but has amended its Environment Management Plan (EMP) as per the suggestions of the latter. 

However, the MoFE approved the document then with the condition of amendment. "After the approval of the MoFE, modifications were made in the EMP of the EIA study report, and the draft report of the revised EMP has been submitted to the Ministry through the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply (MoICS) for approval. NITDB is an agency under the MoICS that is responsible for developing and managing critical trade infrastructures like dry ports and ICPs. 

With the approval of the revised EMP, the door will be opened for the construction of an ICP and dry port with state-of-the-art business infrastructure to facilitate trade in Sudurpashchim Province. Under this project, a road, parking area, platform, warehouse, tow-bridge, container yard, passenger terminal, customs office, bank, livestock/food laboratory (quarantine) administrative building and other structures will be constructed. 

It is estimated that the construction of this project will cost around Rs. 5.76 billion Nepali rupees. Informed Ashish Gajurel, Executive Director of the NITDB. The project will be built with the financial and technical support of the Government of India.

According to Gajurel, the project will support in the overall economic development of the Sudurpashchim Province which is lagging in economic development compared to other regions of the country. The infrastructure will facilitate international trade to and through India. As per the project development plan, the facility will be developed at the Gaurishankar Community Forest (63 hectares) in Dodhara Chandni Municipality of Kanchanpur district, Ward No. 1. 

Nepal and India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of the proposed ICP during the visit of then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ last year. 

Since this project will be built with the help of India, it will be built according to the detailed project report prepared by India, so only 42.36 hectares of land will be used in the first phase out of the total 63 hectares proposed for the project, Gajurel said.