KATHMANDU: The government has formed a committee to monitor, and establish inter-agency coordination and facilitation of the issues related to infrastructure development of areas affected by Melamchi Water Supply Project.

The Cabinet meeting held on November 24 decided to form the committee under coordination of a Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Jagadish Kharel, shared that the meeting decided to provide pre-approval for organisation and management survey of Nepal Police organisation as well as approved 37 temporary quota of officer-level for the project and programme to be run under the Ministry of Forests and Environment in the current fiscal year.

Similarly, decisions were taken to forward a process for the consent of environmental study of the projects that have already got survey license for power production and those hydropower projects that have already signed power purchase agreement before Asar 24, 2081 BS (July 8, 2024) at conservation area or buffer zone.

The Cabinet decided to give consent for environmental assessment for the construction of pipeline, drinking water project, roads, bridges, public transport, power transmission line that are directly connected with locals within the protected area.

The government has decided to forward a process either to give land of national forest or acquiring replacement land for the construction of these infrastructures.

Permission was granted to Secretary (Science and Technology), Bishwo Babu Pudasaini, to participate in a programme related to Internatonal Energy Agency to be organised at Beijing of China from December 1-5.

Similarly, the meeting approved the resignation of Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Gokarna Mani Duwadi, to be effective from November 26 as well as resignation submitted by Joint-Secretary of Nepal Shipping Office, Prem Kumar Singh.