Protected areas under siege from commercialisation

Nepal’s protected area comes either under the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation or the National Trust For Nature Conservation . These government and quasi-government bodies have been tasked with monitoring any illegal activities in the regions. But lack of oversight has meant structures continue to be built around the protected areas in the country.

Take the Annapurna region which falls under the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) for example. The region is home to some of the most popular trekking destinations in the country. This rise in tourism, however, has meant many many illegal hotels and restaurants have been illegally built in the region. These businesses remain unregistered and are also not subject to taxes.