MCA-Nepal has organized a series of consultations with various Forest User Groups (FUGs), including Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) and Leasehold Forest User Groups (LFUGs), in the project-affected districts of Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West), Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East), Makwanpur, Palpa, Chitwan, Nuwakot, Tanahun, Sindhupalchowk and Dhading.
A CFUG consultation at Galchhi Rural Municipality-2 in Dhading district on 24 January 2023.
From January 2023 to March 2023, 76 consultations were organized with 119 CFUGs and nine LFUGs in these nine districts.
A CFUG consultation at Tarkeshwar Rural Municipality-2 in Nuwakot district on 26 January 2023.
Sixteen events with 36 CFUGs were organized in Nuwakot district within the period of 23 January to 8 February 2023 and 15 consultations with 21 CFUGs were conducted in Tanahun district within the period of 23 January to 9 February 2023. Similarly, 13 events with 24 CFUGs and one LFUG in Dhading district within the period of 18 January to 7 February 2023 and two events with the participation of six LFUGs were organized in Chitwan district on 08 February and 09 February 2023. Fifteen events with the participation of 15 CFUGs and one LFUG were conducted in Makawanpur district within the period of 13 February to 24 February 2023.
A CFUG consultation at Siddhalek Rural Municipality-6 in Dhading district on 27 January 2023.
Similarly, nine consultations were conducted with the participation of 14 CFUGs and one LFUG in Palpa district within the period of 22 February to 3 March 2023. Four events with the participation of six CFUGs were conducted in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West) district within the period of 23 February to 28 February 2023 and one event with the participation of two CFUGs was conducted in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) district on 26 February 2023. Likewise, one event with the participation of one CFUG was organized in Sindhupalchowk district on 31 March 2023.
The purpose of the consultations was to share outcomes of the Environmental Impact Assessment with FUGs and provide the required information before the mobilization of the forest census and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) preparation teams. The situation of each of the project-affected FUGs was discussed and recommendations for compensation and restoration alongside the legal requirements of the Government of Nepal were noted during the events.
A CFUG consultation at Lamachaur in Belkotgadhi Municipality-5, Nuwakot district on 4 February 2023.
The MCA-Nepal team will further evaluate and record the impact of the project on affected forest user groups based on the findings from the consultations.
A CFUG consultation at Kailash Rural Municipality-5 in Makwanpur district on 21 February 2023.
The construction of transmission lines and substations by the Electricity Transmission Project (ETP) under the MCC Nepal Compact will unavoidably affect some national forests and result in the clearing of forests to some extent.
The transmission line will cross 121 Community Forests (CFs) and eight Leasehold Forests (LHFs).
A CFUG consultation at Kailash Rural Municipality-6 in Makwanpur district on 22 February 2023.
A CFUG consultation at Sunawal Municipality-2 in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West) district on 28 February 2023.
A CFUG consultation at Nisdhi Rural Municipality-7 in Palpa on 1 March 2023.
