Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has praised Nepal’s efforts towards conservation of the environment and sustainable development.

In his message, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, on Tuesday, PM Oli said Nepal’s forest and mountains play a significant role in protecting and conserving global environment.

“Greenery and mountains are our assets. Mountains are not merely piles of mud and rock. Our mountain ranges have been giving water in the form of rainfall and snow. Nepal’s contribution is extraordinary in

conservation of world environment,” said PM Oli in Kathmandu. Taking a dig at the international community, PM Oli said Nepal was being taught on how to conserve the environment although it has negligible role in polluting it.

“In international programmes, we are lectured on carbon emissions because of our lifestyle of cooking with firewood, but they have been polluting the oceans with chemicals which rises above and reaches our mountains where they cause acidic rain and snowfall,” he said.

Nepal has no contribution in emission of greenhouse gases that depletes the ozone layer and pollutes oceans. “Our carbon emission is negligible, but they ask us on how to mitigate. Actually, they have to think how to mitigate,” said PM Oli.

PM acknowledged the environmental pollution the country was facing because of lack of awareness and development aspirations that affect the environmental balance.He urged citizens not to disturb the natural balance as the impact of environment and ecology could inflict unprecedented disasters on humans.

To celebrate the World Environment Day, the government launched “One Nepali: One Fruit Plant” campaign. PM Oli inaugurated the fruit-tree plantation event. He planted two saplings of litchi and avocado at Singha Durbar.Other ministers and government officials took part in the campaign that aims to plant 100,000 fruit-tree saplings.

The PM urged everyone to plant at least one sapling that could generate income as well as provide nutrition to families. “We could export fruits to countries that do not grow fruits that we have. Fruit exports could contribute to the vision of a prosperous and happy Nepal,” he said.

The PM revealed the government plans to utilise some forests areas as resources while preserving others as natural forest. “We will not disturb the natural forest to maintain the ecosystem’s balance since many wild animals and creatures depend on it. The government will utilise other forest resources by maintaining a rotation of cutting and planting,” he concluded.