Doti, January 31
Community forests based in Doti district have seen a rapid rise in deforestation in recent days. Locals suspect that police and forest officials are hand in glove with timber smugglers.
Local people claim they have been witness to felling of pine trees measuring around 11,000 cubic feet in Malika and Siddha Baba community forests in Laxminagar VDC-8. All this is happening due to nexus between forest (district forest office) staffers, contractors and consumers, they allege.
A monitoring team sent from the district said it is investigating the case by taking relevant documents and timber under control.
Meanwhile, Rastriya Janamorcha (Doti) has demanded formation of an impartial and high-level committee for investigation the rampant deforestation in the district. On Monday, it sent a memorandum to Prime Minister through Doti district administration office demanding formation of a high-level probe committee, suspecting involvement of government officials and police in the deforestation.
The party has also drawn the attention of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and National Vigilance Centre towards the matter.
Receiving the memorandum, Acting Chief District Officer Shankar Bista said they have seized documents related to deforestation. He said: We have recalled two government staffers accused of involvement in the case to the district headquarters as part of the investigation into deforestation.
We have taken measurement of logs. They are under control of competent officials at community forests, Bista said. The facts will come out only after the investigation is complete, he said, pledging to take action against government employees at fault.
Acting CDO Bista said: I don’t think police are involved. The probe will establish the facts.
District forest officer Badri Kumar Karki said a team under the district forest office has headed to the sites for an investigation into deforestation. Karki said he will offer his comments only after completion of the probe.
