JUMLA – The watershed areas of Jumla district are facing severe environmental risks due to unsustainable practices, including uncontrolled road construction and excessive extraction of sand and gravel from rivers. The Land and Watershed Management Office is seeking input from all local levels in the district to develop a better management plan for the coming year.
Himalaya Saud, head of the office, has organized a discussion with stakeholders to address sustainability in the watershed areas. Feedback from this discussion will inform the provincial government’s policies for the coming year. Saud highlighted past initiatives in the region: land-use development, watershed planning, sediment management, and natural disaster prevention.
Local government leaders expressed support for the office’s initiatives but emphasized the need for greater technical support from the watershed office, along with the identification of high-risk areas. They also noted a lack of funding from the state government to effectively implement watershed plans.
District Coordination Committee Head Gaurinand Acharya highlighted the immediate need to curb unregulated sand and gravel extraction, calling for greater responsibility from the local government in protecting rivers and the environment. Stakeholders across the district urged a collaborative approach involving all levels of government and direct participation from the local people.
This news article is available in Nepalpress
