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VOL. 03, NO. 02, June 16, 2009 (Ashadh 02 2066)
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Mission To Save Chitwan
After making Kathmandu green, executive chairperson of SEF Chanda Rana is now launching campaign to save Chitwan National Park
By A CORRESPONDENT
In the last fifteen years, under the leadership of Chanda Rana, Save the Environment Foundation (SEF) has launched some major programs in the capital and outside the valley. From planting green trees along the main roads of Kathmandu valley, Rana is now concentrating her efforts to preserve Chitwan National Park -one of the world’s natural heritage sites, from infestation by the weed Mikkenia Mcrantha.
After more than two years of intensive research and field visits, she is releasing a documentary Mile a Minute: A Serious Threat to Chitwan National Park. The wild climbing weed locally termed as banmara lahara is found to have been invading the flora community of the Chitwan National Park.
After receiving information about the infestation of this wild weed in 2005, Rana and a team of professionals, visited the national park and observed the situation . Rana realized that in order to save the ecosystem of Chitwan National Park from the deadly invasion of the killer weed Mikania micrantha long-term and short term actions are required
“The documentary highlights the severity of infestation at Chitwan National Park and the objective of the campaign is to draw the attention of concerned national authorities and international conservationists to act immediately to control the devastating infestation in Chitwan National Park,” said Rana who is a member of the Earth day Network USA, the Leaonardo Decaprio foundation and an active member of Green Peace Amsterdam. She is also member of ISWA, the International Solid Waste Association various other renowned international organizations.
“When I visited Chitwan National Park in 2007, the areas where I saw severe infestation have spread and now reach different parts of the national park. I have been involved in the preservation of Chitwan for the last eight years and I handed over a memorandum to the then prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa against growing industrial pollution in the Naryani river and haphazard urbanization,” said Rana, member of the Environment Committee of FNCCI
Her documentary is the fruit of two years of tireless efforts. Rana visited Gaida Wildlife Camp and Tiger Tops Jungle lodges to monitor the infestation. Everywhere inside the reserve from deep inside the national park to the banks of the Narayani River and the wetlands of the national park including Beesh Hazari Tal, a world renowned wet land, there is wide spread infestation.
“I collected information about the infestation by meeting representatives of buffer zone management committees, park managers, resort owners and local villagers,” said Rana. “It has severely affected the habitat as well as the rhino population,” said Rana who has already completed a case study on Air Pollution and its impact on health of children and the general public and hospital waste management.
Produced under the direction of Rana, the documentary is about the severity of infestation at Chitwan National Park. Going into depth, she also exposed the sources of infestation and the way to control it. “Considering the threat of Rhino habitat after collecting information, I contacted Zoological Society of London Representatives who were doing research on Rhino preservation,” said Rana, who involves in preservation of Chitwan National Park and its surrounding since 2002.
“During the visit with them in the Zoological Society ‘s London Office and here in Nepal, I met Sir John Chapal, director Richard Kock and field officer J Amin. I informed them how infestation is threatening the Rhino habitat,” said Rana, vice president Environmental Committee, and Nepal Chamber of Commerce.
Although the situation is alarming, the concerned authorities are yet to take measures. “As I first noticed trees are being trapped mercilessly by noxious wild weed forming a canopy circling from bottom to up seeing those dead dried ups trees. I felt choked. This situation awakens met to contribute to preserve Chitwan National Park,” said Rana who received Environmental Preservation Award from Ministry of Environment in 1999 and 2003.
After the release of Rana’s documentary, the painful situation of Chitwan National Park will be made public.
