Kathmandu, April 15 -- Euphoria turned to confusion after the approval given to the Pokhara airport project to cut down trees and flatten a hill near the runway came with a rider that a supplementary environmental impact assessment (EIA) be carried out first, officials said.

Last month, the cabinet had cleared the way for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to remove trees and two hilltops below the approach path, allowing it to start the final phase of the construction work at Pokhara International Airport.

According to Civil Aviation officials, the environmental review report will take months and further delay the project which is already running late due to Covid-19.

The cabinet had finally given the green signal to the Civil Avia...