The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) has forwarded a proposal to the cabinet for revitalizing the committee, putting an end to the likelihood of the PWR administration stepping in as the rightful agency of transferring Ramauli and Pratappur settlements, which lie to the south of the Rapti river in Manahari village of Makawanpur district, northward across the river. [break]
The term of the Regional Forest Director Rajdev Yadav-led committee had expired by the end of the last fiscal year. However, the MoFSC had failed to immediately send the proposal to the cabinet for the revitalization of the committee due to several reasons including the debate on whether to hand over the rights of transferring the settlements to the PWR administration.
"Once the cabinet approves the proposal, the committee will begin its work to finish all remaining works," Forest Minister Mohd Wakil Musalmand said.
According to Yadav, infrastructures like 450 km embankment along the river, roads and schools are yet to be developed in 247 bighas of land, which was originally covered by forest, north of the Rapti River.
Trees are yet to be felled in some places to clear the forest area for relocating 363 households there from Ramauli and Pratappur villages. The government had decided to transfer these two settlements northward some two years ago.
Villagers of Ramauli and Pratapur settlements had been pressing the government for relocating them to some safer place as their daily lives were difficult there especially due to frequent attacks by wild animals from the PWD.
They also sought relocation as they would face difficulty in reaching Manahari village by crossing the river for four months every winter.
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