KAILALI, Feb 6: Deforestation has been intensified in Kailali-based Basanta Corridor zone, which was once recognized as wide dense forest (Charkose Jhadi).
Locals said standing trees of saal are being cut down and exported from this area. Daily dozens of saal trees are being cut down from local community forest and national forest stretched over Hasuliya, Pavera and Ratanpur VDCs. [break]
The growing trend of deforestation has remained unchecked in the forest corridor due to carelessness on the part of employees in local Basanta range post. There is posting of six employees at the office but no staffers except one perform their respective duty in a regular manner.
It was utterly impossible for me to conserve the forest resource alone, said Indra Bahadur KC, the only punctual employee at the post.
As in-charge of the range post Suresh KC has been residing in rented room in Dhangadhi, I alone have no alternative than to inform the District Forest Office, he further said.
There is risk even to stay at the forest area during the nights while providing security in the forest is far cry, KC said.
Locals had seized 58 logs from Siddababa community forest at Khailad VDC of Kailali few weeks back. However the local administration has not been able to book ranger Narayan Prasad Jha and Bhakala Raji including others allegedly involved in timber smuggling though locals had caught them red-handed.
Forest office employees and some office-bearers of the community forest themselves have been involved in the crime of denuding green forest, local alleged.
Even Kailali District Forest Office Chief Rajendra Man Singh Bhandari admitted involvement of some of the employees at the local area in the smuggling of timbers.