KATHMANDU, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Tuesday urged Nepali citizens to make efforts to protect the environment in order to achieve sustainable development.

The prime minister made the call in a message to the people on the occasion of the World Environment Day 2018 on Tuesday.

He said the constitution of Nepal has ensured the people's right to live in a clean environment as one of the fundamental rights.

"People also have certain obligations to protect the environment. So we have to work together for the same," he said.

The prime minister said that environment pollution could be one of the major common challenges in Nepal while carrying out development activities in the days to come.

Oli said that development works without carrying out environment impact assessment cannot be sustainable.

"Unmanaged development may lead to several problems including soil erosion, landslides, drought and outbreak of diseases. So our priority should be on eco-friendly development," he said.

The prime minister said that environment conservation is one of the prerequisites for the socio-economic development of the country, stating that development should not invite destruction at any cost.

The World Environment Day was marked in Nepal by organizing various programs across the country including in the capital on Tuesday.