GAIGHAT: District Forest Office, Udayapur has barred entry into the national and community forest area from today. According to Forest Officer Ambika Prasad Paudel, at the DFO, the prohibition of entry into national and community forest came into effect from today as smuggling of timbers, poaching of wildlife and setting fire to the forest increased amid the government-imposed lockdown. He said that forest consumers' committee will be allowed to conduct patrol in the forest after taking permission from the forest office. Anyone trespassing on forest land will be prosecuted as per the Forest Act 2076, 50 (1), according to Information officer at the DFO, Assistant District Officer Jageshwar Shah. He said the illegal activities including timber smuggling, wildlife poaching and setting fire to the forest had increased in the district since the government imposed nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. He informed that the DFO had detained two poachers along with guns about a week ago.