Residents accuse park officials of destroying important papers and moving them without prior warning
CHITWAN, MARCH 28
Authorities razed 15 building constructed within the Chitwan National Park in Madi Municipality on Sunday.
A team of Nepali Army and park staff demolished the residences built in Kusumkhola, reasoning that they were built unlawfully inside the park.
According to Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, Information officer at the park, the settlement was removed from the park area prior to this as well.
"There was one house that remained standing, and afterwards other buildings and sheds were erected close to it, " added Tiwari.
"The park has been removing settlements from within the park in the past as well."
"The area is in the heart of the forest and is unsuitable for human habitation, building settlements deep into the forest," Tiwari claimed, adding, "thus will disrupt animal-movement and lead to conflict between humans and wildlife."
The settlement is within walking distance of two hours from the settlement in Madi.
People residing in the settlement, on the other hand, have accused the authorities of not allowing them to take their essentials, including documents, before burning the houses. "The people were not allowed to recover their documents including citizenship from their homes, and they were destroyed along with the houses," said Shree Prasad Dawadi, a local social activist.
The local level had been trying to securely relocate the people beyond the park, but they were demolished without coordination with the local administration, according to Thakur Dhakal, chief of Madi Municipality.
However, park officials state that several areas of the park have been encroached into and that the park has been removing them regularly.
