Jajarkot, April 26:

Deforestation and encroachment of public land for buildings has been unabated in Khalanga, the district headquarters of Jajarkot, and the authorities concerned have done nothing to stop the encroachment upon the public land.

Nearly 1,000 private houses have been erected in the government land in Thati and Thaple area in Khalanga-2 after chopping down the trees and the process is still ongoing while the district administration office and district forest office have remained mere spectators, locals said.

Political leaders said the seven parties, during the 13th district council, had given the right to probe into the encroachment and demolish the illegal structures to the district forest office.

“The seven-party alliance has already given the right to demolish the illegal structures to the district forest office. Let’s see what the district forest office does,” said local CPN-UML leader Lal Bahadur Mahatara.

The political parties are, however, accused of adopting dual standards by speaking one thing and doing just the opposite. Moti BK, a member of the local forest users’ committee, Khalanga, said the political parties and the administration have been backing the encroachers. CDO Govinda Bhurtel also blamed the political parties of encouraging the encroachers. He said the encroachment here was a political problem.

Chief of district forest office Nabin Upadhyaya accused the local administration of being very weak.

It is estimated that forest in over 125 ropanis of land has been destroyed so far in Khalanga. Locals said the administration remained silent when the land mafia encroached even the land belonging to government offices like district court and National Investigation Department.