National
Japan extends help for soil conservation
The government of Japan has handed over 500 tonnes of wire worth Rs 70.35 million to the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) for soil stabilisation and controlling landslides and soil erosion.The government of Japan has handed over 500 tonnes of wire worth Rs 70.35 million to the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) for soil stabilisation and controlling landslides and soil erosion.
The support is part of a commitment from the Japanese government to help Nepal after the Gorkha earthquake in April 25 that weakened the land surface, increasing the risks of soil erosion and landslides in many earthquake-affected districts.
Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Mashasi Ojawa handed over the equipment to Uday Chandra Thakur, secretary at the MoFSC, on Tuesday. The gabion wire was handed over to the Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management under the MoFSC, which will send the wires to intended districts soon.
Under the Forest Conservation Programme being implemented in 56 districts, the government of Japan has been providing support for soil protection and watershed management in Nepal since 2010.
“The earthquake and subsequent aftershocks have made the soil weak, particularly in the areas hard hit by the disaster. The wires provided by Japan will be sent to 14 districts that were most affected by the April earthquake to protect the soil surface and mitigate the risks of soil erosion and landslides,” said Krishna Prasad Osti, under-secretary at the MoFSC.
Though the district authorities and local communities had been demanding that the central government provide gabion wires for soil protection, the ministry had been unable to address their demands.