ADB_book_18 April.qxp - Himalayan Document Centre - icimod

have roles to play in some aspects of monitoring.However, here the problem is even worse, sinceenvironmental monitoring is not their main mandate.Besides they also face scarcity of funds. Theseagencies are more occupied with achieving theirown agendas than ensuring that environmentalrequirements are complied with. For them environmentalmatters are usually of secondary importanceif any at all (MOPE and ESPS 2003). For example, theMinistry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies hasbeen more concerned with meeting their targetedproduct outputs than with complying with theenvironmental standards prescribed by MOEST (andbefore that MOPE) for industries. Collecting all thelegal instruments scattered through multiple sectoralbodies into a single common legislation might rectifysome aspects of this situation.The Environment Protection Act andRegulations, and SEA and EIA procedures arethemselves in need of updating and modification tokeep them relevant to changing demands. At thesame time, major existing provisions of IEE and EIAprescribed in the Environment Protection Act andRegulations are unclear and not comprehensive andrequire revision. Due to lack of funds,implementation of EIA provisions has not beeneffective. In the meantime national coordinatingbodies like NPC and the Environment ProtectionCouncil are not paying the necessary attention tostrict enforcement of legal provisions of EIA bydifferent agencies. From the Tenth Plan, the NPC hasintroduced the concept of SEA, which could be veryuseful for environmental screening and properplanning of sectoral programs; however, the processstill needs to be properly institutionalized andadequately documented. As a result of inefficienciesthroughout the system, the implementation ofenvironmental guidelines is often delayed.Major StakeholdersThe environmental institutions in Nepal includedifferent public and private sector stakeholders thatcan be categorized broadly as follows.Judicial bodies. The Supreme Court, Appellateand District courts.Advisory bodies. National DevelopmentCouncil, NPC, National Water ResourcesDevelopment Council, Environment ProtectionCouncil, National Commission on SustainableDevelopment, Water and Energy Commission,National Biodiversity Coordination Committee, andothers.Policymaking bodies. Parliamentary Committeeon Environment Conservation; line ministriesincluding Ministry of Environment, Science andTechnology; Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation;Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry ofWater Resources; Ministry of Industry, Commerceand Supplies; Ministry of Local Development,Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs;Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives; andMinistry of Labour and Transport Management.Policymaking bodies also include the Department ofHydrology and Meteorology, Nepal Bureau ofStandards and Metrology under the Ministry ofIndustry, Commerce and Supplies, and the CentralFood Research Laboratory under the Ministry ofAgriculture and Cooperatives.Corporate and local bodies. Nepal ElectricityAuthority; Nepal Agricultural Research Council, RoyalNepal Academy of Science and Technology, SolidWaste Management and Resources MobilizationCenter, Nepal Water Supply Corporation, DDCs, VDCsand metropolitan and municipality administrations.Private sector organizations and NGOs.Federation of the Nepalese Chambers of Commerceand Industries, statutory NGOs such as KingMahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, and otherNGOs (see Appendix 9.3) registered under theAssociation Registration Act and affiliated with theSocial Welfare Council; Federation of CommunityForestry Users, Nepal; and Federation of Water UsersAssociations, including various community-basedorganizations and professional societies.Academic institutions. Kathmandu University,Tribhuwan University, College of InformationTechnology, and School of Environment ManagementSystems based in Kathmandu are contributingtowards the preparation and training of environmentalprofessionals.The media. The media in Nepal has been veryactive in bringing issues and problems ofenvironmental concern to the public’s attention andthis has contributed to better and continuedsurveillance. Media focus has also prompted relevantgovernment and private agencies to undertakeprojects aimed at environmental improvement.Frequently published articles in dailies like Kantipur,The Kathmandu Post, The Himalayan Times, andNepal Samachar Patra, and other popular weeklypublications like the Nepali Times, Himal, andSpotlight, as well as media programs conducted byagencies like the Nepal Forum for EnvironmentalJournalists and Society of Environmental JournalistsNepal serve as examples.Civil society. With heightened and improvedawareness, civil society has in general demonstratedits serious concern for the environmental situation ofthe country and has been proactive insupplementing the Government’s efforts to bringabout improvements.Chapter 9: Environmental Governance127