RAMECHHAP: Forests located at higher altitude of Ramechhap district are being cleared at a very fast pace. Dense forests in Those, Bamti, Chuchure and Gumdel VDCs among others in the district are getting thinner by the day. According to locals, deforestation in the district began after road construction in the district linking it to the nearby highway was completed. With the road link entered ‘timber mafias’, said locals. Jhapad Raj Bhandari, NC district secretary, said the forests areas, which were also important from the tourism point of view, of late are being cleared at an unprecedented rate. He blamed the concerned authorities of failing to pay heed to the problem. “Forests located at Panchpokhari and Jatapokhari VDCs are being cleared at an alarming rate. If the deforestation continues at this rate, we will soon have bare hills only,” he added. Shanti Prasad Kandel, district secretary of the CPN-UML, said rampant deforestation in the area was due to the lack of the strict vigilance. According to Bhandari, some unscrupulous individuals were involved in destroying forests. “Deforestation can be controlled only if we stop handing over the forests to the communities,” he added. Narayan Karki, chairman of the Federation of Forest Consumers’ Committees, Ramechhap, admitted that some dishonest people from consumers’ committee were involved in deforestation to make quick buck.