The Chure range, also known as the Siwalik Hills, stretches from east to west along Nepal’s southern border. It’s an important ecological area plagued with a dire water crisis and environmental degradation.
Earlier this year, a group of twenty-two campaigners walked from Bardaha (Saptari) to Kathmandu, determined to demand solutions for their homeland’s urgent problems. To highlight their stand, they staged a sit-in at Maitighar, carrying empty buckets, jerrycans, and pitchers adorned with the faces of the absent political leaders who should, according to the protesters, intervene immediately. ‘Where are you?’ their slogans asked. ‘We are here!’
Destructive practices of illegal logging, overgrazing, and clearing forests for cultivation have led to significant environmental degradation.A fragile ecosystem
The Chure range is a series of low hills that stretch across Nepal from the Mechi River in the east to the Mahakali River in the west. The range is positioned at 600 to 1,200 meters above sea level. This fragile ecosystem spans approximately 20–30 kilometres in width and 1,000 kilometres in length. Chure is an ecological boon and the lifeline of the people in the southern plains. It is one of South Asia’s most delicate hill ranges, playing a critical role
in maintaining ecological balance by preventing soil erosion and regulating the water cycle.
Despite its ecological significance, the Chure region has faced severe threats for decades, including rampant deforestation, unregulated extraction of sand and stones, and human encroachment.
The Chure forests, which cover 60% of the region, are rich in biodiversity and serve as a vital watershed, providing essential resources such as hardwoods, sand, stones, and boulders. However, destructive practices such as illegal logging, overgrazing, and clearing forests for cultivation have led to significant environmental degradation.
Exploiting the Chure range has resulted in numerous environmental issues, like water scarcity, landslides, soil erosion, and crop degradation, particularly impacting the Terai region. The region’s vulnerability is further exacerbated by its status as the youngest mountain range in the world, prone to severe erosion and landslides due to heavy monsoon rainfall. The degradation of this vital water reserve threatens the local ecosystem and the livelihoods of the people in the southern plains, posing a significant risk to Nepal’s economy and integrity.
Environmental degradation
The bill has raised alarm among constitutional experts, who argue that it contradicts Nepal’s Constitution and violates international treaties like the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the World Heritage Convention. These experts contend that the amendment undermines Nepal’s legal commitments and damages its conservation
reputation.
The bill was rushed through the legislature in just 26 days, raising concerns about its legitimacy. Furthermore, it was introduced by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, despite conservation laws typically falling under the Ministry of Forests and Environment, sparking
suspicion and undermining transparency, especially amidst recent corruption scandals.
“Right now, the region’s poor people are suering the most. Soon, it will be the whole of Nepal”.
Sunil Yadav
Call for collective action
The government’s response to the Chure crisis has been mixed. While adequate master plans exist, their implementation has been inadequate. Under the aegis of the Chure-Tarai-Madhesh Conservation Master Plan, the government has pledged to allocate 48 million dollars received from the Climate Change Fund to address the challenges in the Chure region and climate change issues in Madhes and the Tarai.
Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) acknowledged the rampant exploitation of Chure resources and emphasised the need for more robust conservation measures. However, the effectiveness of these measures depends on the government’s ability to combat political protection for illegal activities.
The march from Madhesh to Kathmandu is a call for collective action to save Chure. The government’s plan to allocate funds for conservation efforts and
provide alternative livelihoods for local communities is a step in the right direction. Still, effective implementation and community involvement are crucial.
Sunil Yadav, the central coordinator of the Chure and Forest Conservation Committee, expressed the shameful reality that locals depend on water tankers for basic needs. He warned that the degradation of Chure would soon affect the entire country, jeopardising its agricultural output. Farmers, already struggling with decreased water levels, have resorted to water pumps and are seeking alternative incomes, leading to the closure of many rice mills.
As the campaigners protested, the government’s budget session was about to start. Yadav and others hoped for an increased budget for Chure conservation, but the new budget continued existing afforestation and water conservation plans without substantial improvements. In regions like Andheri village in Siraha, natural water sources have dried up, forcing locals to rely on tanker-delivered water. Similar situations in Karnali have led to migrations, leaving behind those too poor to move.
The President Chure-Terai Conservation Board, established to address these issues, must be more effective due to a lack of an independent conservation fund and systemic policies. Yadav warns: “Right now, the region’s poor people are suffering the most. Soon, it will be the whole of Nepal”. rnment to halt the new amendment and refocus on sustainable, long-term conservation priorities.
Sudipa Mahato is a junior editor with Nepal Connect.
