Local people say trees are being felled in a massive scale at buffer zone VDCs of the park—Khaskusma, Kachanapur and Mahadevpuri. [break]
Timber smugglers with the help of some local residents are stripping community and government forests of green cover in broad daylight despite the ban on tree-feeling.
Taking advantage of the thin presence of soldiers deployed for security of the park at Khaskusma, Kachanapur and Mahadevpuri VDCs, trees are being chopped off and are being taken to Nepalgunj and as far as India.
According to locals, green trees of Saal, Khayar and Sisau are being chopped. Even consumers of community forest user groups are also said to be behind tree-feeling.
Though the national park has intensified patrol inside the conserved area, tree smuggling is going on unchecked.
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