Rajbiraj, July 21

The budget allocated to the President Chure Conservation Programme under the District Forest Office has been frozen in Saptari because of delay in execution of the programme.

According to District Forest Officer Dhirendra Prasad Singh, of the total 19.5 lakh budget, Rs 18 lakh was allocated to the Balan River System Intensive Project alone.

He added that they could not launch the plantation because the budget to put up wire fencing and establish a protective boundary was insufficient.

“There was no point in planting trees without proper conservation measures. The trees were not planted because there wasn’t enough budget allocated for protective measures,” he said.

The remaining Rs 1.5 lakh allocated to Sundari, Balan, and Khando Khola Conservation Programme has also been frozen, said Ranger Laxman Safi.

DFO Singh, however, claimed that the budget allocated for Chure conservation was being properly utilised in the district.