ILAM: The District Forest Office, Ilam, has prized six different community forest users’ groups for their outstanding performance in forest conservation.

The community forests were awarded for their contribution in conservation and sustainable management of forests in the Chure region in the current fiscal year.

Pathibhara Community Forest Users’ Group of Mahamai VDC-9 got the first prize while Tintale Community Forest Users’ Group received the second prize and Bagaichasero Community Forest Users’ Group managed to get the third prize.

Likewise, Namuna Community Forest Users’ Group was given the first prize while Irautar Community Forest Users’ Group and Dadheli Community Forest Users’ Group were given the second and third prize respectively for their outstanding job in community forestry management and its development.

The first prize winner was given Rs 5,000 while the second and third received Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively.

Distributing the cash prize to the representatives of the users’ groups at Sukhani, District Forest Officer Tirtharaj Joshi said that the consumers themselves should be aware of the conservation of the forest areas.

Likewise, Assistant Forest Officer Sunil Kumar Singh said that the users’ groups were prized based on their activities for forest management, conservation, forest fire control and others.