“The ecological garden spreads in an area of over 45 bighas of land” said a local Ramesh Karki, who lives near the DFO. “The authorities have turned a blind eye even as we have filed a complaint a number of times. People are felling trees in broad daylight,” added Karki. The ecological garden is under the jurisdiction of Mahendranagar Town Development Committee.[break]
Moreover, over a hundred squatter families are living inside the ecological garden for years. “The squatters living there are illegally felling the trees in connivance with the forest officials,” said the source.
Last year, a team deployed by then District Forest Officer Ramesh Chand had seized three trucks of Sal logs hidden in the squatters´ houses.
Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Lal Narayan Singh said that they cannot take action against the offenders as the garden falls under the jurisdiction of TDC. Singh also said he was unaware of the illegal felling of trees inside the ecological garden.
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