One year after the foundation stone, permission to build a communicable disease hospital

Now, after completing all the procedures and signing an agreement between the Forest Department and Lumbini Province Health Ministry, the way for construction has been opened. After the agreement with the Forest Department, Gautam Buddha Forest Division Office Chandrauta has already given permission to enter the forest on Baisakh 9 to start the construction of the hospital.

The contract for the construction of a 50-bed, two-and-a-half-story hospital with facilities has been awarded. Last February 24, Butwal-based Sky Sagun JV has signed an agreement for the construction of the hospital for 209.6 million and it will be able to work until February 23, 2025.

Forest and Environment Minister of Lumbini Province Arjun KC said that he had to go to Kathmandu 32 times in 3 years to complete the process of building the hospital. ``It cost four/five lakhs to come and go,'' he said, ``I am sure after getting the permission.'' . Division Forest Chief Besindraraj Subedi said permission has been given for side clearance and out of 79 trees will be cut as required.

The cabinet has made available 6.1 hectares of national forest area for the hospital by opening the South Highway, Paschim Hat Bazar, East Shivraj Udyan road and North Jawai Nala four forts. ``We were very happy that we got the land in Chandrauta, which is adjacent to the highway, to build a hospital,'' Netra Belbase, the ward president of Shivraj Municipality-5 said, "It is very difficult to carry out the process." The EIA was also approved on 23rd June 2008 after two and a half years of acquiring the land.

During the corona epidemic, the federal government decided to build one infectious disease hospital in every province. Minister KC said that although the Lumbini state government had decided to build it in Devdah in the annual policy and program of 077/78, he had moved the Chandrauta after convincing the then Chief Minister Shankar Pokharel.

According to the forest regulations, one thousand 600 saplings should be planted per hectare and 10 saplings should be planted per tree equal to 79 trees and 5 years of maintenance expenses should be borne. At the rate of 3.5 lakh per hectare of land alone, 2.1 million had to be paid to the forest department.

The rest of the amount should be paid for planting trees and maintaining and protecting them for 5 years . The Forest and Land Conservation Department had written a letter to the Lumbini State Government on August 1, 2080 asking them to come to an agreement by depositing 2 crore 92 lakh 77 thousand 279 rupees in the Forest Development Fund But at that time, due to lack of funds, the state government barely got permission to work by depositing one crore in the forest development fund.

Minister KC said that there is an agreement that the state government will pay the remaining amount in installments within 4 years. Due to the inability to pay the amount, there was a problem with the site clearance and tree cutting permission not being obtained.