Bajura, December 26

The District Forest Office, Bajura has started investigating 10 contractors accused of illegally collecting and smuggling medicinal herbs in the district.

District Forest Officer Bishendra Raj Subedi said that the office has appointed Mohan Kumar Chhantyal as the investigation officer in these cases.

A team deployed from the Area Forest Office, Kolti had seized 27,000 kg jatamashi, 100 kg chiraito, and 80 kg katuki, estimated to be worth Rs 17.9 million in the market, from Kolti and Dansanghu Bazaar areas on December 11 this year.

The DFO had reportedly granted ten contractors permission to collect up to 97 kg medicinal herbs, but the contractors had collected four times more than the permitted amount and were attempting to smuggle them to Nepalgunj.

DFO Subedi said an investigation team had reached Kolti and started investigating them today.