Kathmandu, February 17

The government is preparing to distribute around 70,000 cubic feet of timber for reconstruction work in seven districts worst affected by the 2015 earthquakes.

According to the Department of Forests, the ministry has given the nod for distribution of timber in Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Kavrepalanchowk, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha districts. Director General of the department Krishna Prasad Acharya said the timber distribution process would start from mid-March.

“We will begin timber distribution in seven districts from mid-March. Each district would be provided 10,000 cubic feet of timber,” Acharya said, adding that the government had collected adequate quantity of timber from government-owned and community forests for the purpose.

According to the department, approximately 600,000 to 700,000 cubic feet of timber is produced in Nepal annually, while the same quantity is imported from foreign countries.

The department also plans to distribute timber in Kathmandu. While Kathmandu locals can buy timber from Timber Corporation Nepal’s depots, Forest Product Development Committee of respected districts will distribute timber in other districts.

The government had estimated that around 50,000,000 cubic feet of timber would be required for post-earthquake reconstruction work in 31 districts affected by the earthquakes. The estimated volume is for rebuilding private houses, government buildings, schools, health institutes and structures of archaeological importance.

Earlier, Forest Minister Shankar Prasad Bhandari had instructed subordinate bodies to ease the supply of timber and stop import of timber products from foreign countries by implementing sustainable forest management programme. Subordinate bodies of the ministry include Department of Forest, Sagarmatha Forest Development Project, Timber Corporation Nepal and district forest product supply committees, among others.

As per the study by the Department of Forest, the country needs 51.82 million cubic feet of timber for reconstruction of homes, monuments and other structures destroyed by the 2015 earthquakes. The study also shows that Nepal has enough resources to meet the timber demand for rebuilding houses and structures damaged by the earthquakes.

The government has set the target of completing post-quake reconstruction in five years. The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation had constituted a five-member panel  headed by Deputy Director of the Department of Forest Hem Aryal some four-and-a-half months ago to prepare a report on timber requirement for post-earthquake reconstruction.