Dhangadhi, April 17:

Destruction of forest area has been increasing rapidly in the western Terai. Some 60,000 cubic feet of trees have illegally been felled in Kailali district alone during the past six months.

Jungle cover is being destroyed at Kanchanpur district as well. The ranger of the district forest office and members of consumers’ co-mmittee on January 8 felled some 20,000 cubic feet of trees in Sunpal Proposed Co-mmunity Forest which lies under Masuriya range post in Kailali. Although, the ra-nger has been dismissed fr-om duty, no action has been taken against the members of the community forest.

Locals seized 20,000 cubic feet of timber from Barhaban area of Chaumala and Beladevipur VDCs on January 11. Similarly, 200 cubic feet of timber has been seized from Siradhani community forest on January 13.

Members of mafia attacked locals on February 5, alleging locals of not allowing them to smuggle timber to India. Locals seized 200 cubic feet of timber from Jali Community Forest at Dhangadhi-6 on February 9.

Locals felled 55 sal trees (some 4,000 cubic feet of timber) from Simthadi forest area at Ramsikharjhala VDC in Kailali on March 18. Some 250 cubic feet of timber, which was submitted to the district forest office was released following pressure from the Maoists on April 9.

Although these are some of the instances of such eve-nts, it is difficult to estimate the real amount of trees having been felled secretly. However, it is common knowledge that forest cover is being destroyed at Lalajhadi forest area in Kanchanpur, Daleldhura and Doti.

There are large piles of timber that lie next to the highway after the department of forest felled 1,45,000 cubic feet of timber. Sources said that the department has directed felling of such larger amount of timber for the first time. Forest officer Romraj Lamichhane has urged the ministry to cut down additional 400,000 cubic feet of timber in Kailali.

Some 60,000 cubic feet of trees have been felled in Kai-lali over the past six months, district chairperson of Community Forest Consumers’ Federation, Santa Bahadur Karki said, adding that government is mainly responsible for felling of trees. “The silence of political parties is mysterious.” The forest area in the west would be converted into a desert within a decade if attempts are not made to conserve the forests, Ghanshyam Poudel of Musariya said. A large network is involved in cutting down forests, Bijayaraj Shrestha of Bhajani said, adding that cutting down of forest area is one of the contentious issues in Madhes.

(With inputs from Shivraj Bhatt)