Over 4,300 trees have been felled around 11 freed Kamaiya camps in the district. According to community forest user groups, the DFO has allowed logging in the name of building houses for freed Kamaiya families. [break]
Deforestation is taking place around camps in areas including Balchaur, Joshipur, Lalbojhi, Sadepani, and Rampur. Half of the logging is taking place along the biological corridor of Basanta forest that is connected to the Daduwa National Park in India to the south and Chure to the north.
“The logging is taking place in the name of freed Kamaiyas under direct instructions of Forest Minister Deepak Bohara,” said Netra Khanal, Kailali secretary of Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, adding, “This is the case of forest destruction with the involvement of forest minister.”
Though the government settled the freed Kamaiyas in Basanta Forest Area and issued them land ownership certificates, the DFO had been saying that the settlement must be moved as it puts at risk the biological corridor.
However, this year the Ministry of Forest itself issued orders to fell trees around the settlement.
Ambika Poudel, acting chief of DFO Kailali said the logging is legal as it has been done after completing necessary procedures.
He admitted that 4,300 trees have been felled and said the office has acquired permission to fell 5,000 trees.
Poudel added that each freed Kamaiya family will be given 35 cubic feet wood. A total of 54,000 cubic feet of wood is required to distribute wood to all the families. The remaining wood will be sold, Poudel said.
Meanwhile, the forest minister has called back District Forest Officer Baburam Bhandari accusing him of involvement in massive deforestation in the district.
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