The Baglung Drinking Water Project has felled 102 Sal trees in Ratmata Community Forest of Baglung municipality-4 on the pretext of constructing drinking water reservoirs.
Locals say felling of trees was illegal and violates the Forest Act. The complaint has also been forwarded to Baglung District Police Office, District Forest Office and National Investigation Department. [break]
The project had leased 2 ropanis of forest land to build three drinking water reservoirs. “We have followed all legal procedures while felling the trees,” claimed project Chief KB Rana.
“The forest land had been leased for 20 years based on a verbal agreement between the police, district administration and forest office,” said chairperson of the community forest Prem KC.
Meanwhile, Chief of District Forest Office, Baglung Suraj Kumar Pandey said officials of the drinking water project should be punished if they have not fulfilled the legal procedures. “It requires a cabinet decision to fell trees in a forest,” said Pandey.
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