According to Chairperson of Rautahat Cooperative Forest Management Group Ram Chandra Giri, wood smuggling has gained momentum as all security agencies have focused their attention on the upcoming elections. [break]
“Since Rautahat is one of the most vulnerable areas, security forces as always have been mobilized to ensure security for the polls. Smugglers are taking advantage of this situation,” said Giri.
After being alerted about rampant smuggling of timber, security personnel deployed in the forest areas have arrested five wood smugglers along with 500 cubic feet of Sal woods in a week´s time.
On Friday, police arrested a person along with a tractor-laden with fresh timber from Gahamriya VDC. According to Area Police Office, Garuda, 80 cubic feet of wood was seized and handed over to the district forest office.
“The seized timber and the driver have already been handed over to the district forest office. The forest office will further investigate into the matter,” said Inspector Krishna Sundar Bista. The arrested driver has been identified as Umesh Roy Yadav.
Similarly in yet another incident, police on Friday morning confiscated 24 sets of raw Sal woods worth Rs 300,000 from Deurali Community Forest Area.
Sub-inspector Birendra Shrestha shared that they have already submitted the seized timber to the district forest office for further investigation.
“The number plates of the tractors are illegible and we have not been able to arrest the main culprits. We are investigating the matter and we will soon nab them,” said Chief of the District Forest Office, Rautahat, Babu Ram Bhandari.
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