ADB_book_18 April.qxp - Himalayan Document Centre - icimod

moved or relocated. The fact that since 1996 bufferzones have been declared around six of the nationalparks is an important indicator of the extent of thisconflict and the Government’s response to theproblem. However, many problems still remain. Theopen boundaries of parks have facilitated the entry ofdomestic animals into the National Parks in theabsence of alternative sites for grazing. Wild animalsin turn are attracted by the domestic livestock. Thedesperate situation of people around the park isindicated by one of the comments of the residentnear a park: “Unless a suitable solution is made, wewill continue our illegal activities regardless of theprice or penalty we will have to pay” (Nepal andWeber 1993). A similar finding is made by anotherreview (IUCN Nepal 2004) which points out thatwildlife reserve-people conflicts are serious becausepeople lack viable alternative livelihoods tocompensate for the loss of access to naturalresources inside the reserve, and the customaryrights of the people have been ignored.Because the bigger animals such as elephantsand rhinos raid crops, and others such as tigers killlivestock, locals are only too eager to get rid of theseanimals, which often become easy prey to poacherswho need local support. Elephants, although few innumber in Nepal, have become a regular menaceand a permanent source of tension in the easternplains.The true outcome will not be determined forsometime, though if the current trendcontinues, it seems most plausible that theelephant population will continue to diminishand the conflict will be resolved by itsdestruction (Bosley et al. 2000). With the breakin the ecosystems, mega fauna that needlarger spaces and have seasonal movementsare coming into increasing contacts andconflicts with human settlements. (WWF2003)Conflicts in Trade in Non-timber ForestProducts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, andWildlife ProductsNepal is home to many non-timber forest products,medicinal and aromatic plants, and wildlife speciesbecause of its rich biodiversity. NTFP and medicinaland aromatic plants products have been harvestedsince time immemorial and are important in manylocal rituals and healing practices. Traditionally,many of these have also been exported to India.Trade in wildlife products is more recent andbecause of its more lucrative markets is also moreprone to violent conflicts. Trade in all of theseproducts was generally free until recently. Some havebeen brought under government control to conservebiodiversity, others have been regulated because ofrevenue considerations, and still others like wildlifeproducts have been controlled because of bansimposed by international conventions on trade inendangered fauna. This control has createdproblems for people who have been dependent onharvesting these products for their livelihoods. Thereis confusion in policy regarding different aspectssuch as royalty payments for non-timber forestproducts, and medicinal and aromatic plants that arenot cultivated (Tiwari et al. 2003).There is no mechanism in place to certify origin,and in its absence, royalties are imposed on allproducts without a careful study of the differentmargins. This has made it very unattractive for thecollector. In trying to avoid royalty payments, largeparts of the trade have moved underground, resultingin constant tension in areas where these productsare collected.Trade in several wildlife products is completelyillegal, but because of the huge premiums for someof the products this has not only increased the risksfor some endangered animals but also for the peoplewho live around the areas where these animals arefound. Poaching around national parks is a full-timebut risky activity for some people (Nepal and Weber1993).Nepal has also been identified as a safe passagefor trade in wildlife products (Asia Rain ForestConservation News and Information 2000). Whileauthorities are making regular seizures ofendangered wildlife parts (World EnvironmentalJournalist Egroup 2002), there is increasing dangerthat this lucrative trade can get out of hand withheightened insecurity all over the country. Even if thelocal people are not involved, its escalation couldalso affect them.Water Resources and ConflictNepal has so far been seen as a country withabundant water resources, at least in terms ofendowments. However, as the country harnessesmore water resources, many different water-relatedconflicts are becoming evident. Irrigation areaincreased from 729,886 ha in 1994/95 to 943,860 ha in2001/02 (CBS 2004). Public water supply fromdifferent sources increased from 62.2 million litersper day in 1994/95 to 228 million liters in 2001/02(CBS 2004). This increasing demand and supply hasnot been smooth. Conflicts have been identified atthe local level regarding water rights and sharing ofwater between different user groups. In urban areas,scarcity of water, water pollution, and rural-urbanwater linkages are sources of conflict. At the nationallevel, mega water projects have created much164 Environment Assessment of Nepal : Emerging Issues and Challenges