Dhangadhi, November 9:

Four thousand flood victims have grabbed community and national forests in Kailali district.

Accusing the government of not taking initiatives to rehabilitate them, the victims said they had no option except to grab forest land.

One thousand families have grabbed national and community forests at Khailad VDC. In another case, around 3,000 people from 700 families have seized the community forest at Khailad VDC-6.

“The forest land is suitable for building sheds. We may fell trees if the government does not address our woes”, said Nari Kami, a flood victim. “Around 10 bigha of land in the community forest is under the control of the flood victims,” said Hari Bahadur Malla, a forest user.

A total of 1,400 families have captured the Dudpur national forest at Khailad, while 4, 29 families have moved to the Bhuruwa national forest. The victims have built 100 sheds in the proposed community forest at Joshipur VDC, said Man Bahadur Khadka, head of the Kailali District Forest Office. However, the office lacks exact data on the number of people, who have grabbed the forest land. “We have begun a survey to establish their number,” district forest officer Khadka said.

“Around 1,000 flood victims from 150 families went to capture land in the Laukabhauka community forest at Khailad-2,” said assistant sub-inspector at the Ganjuwa police post, Bhan Singh Rawal. “The flood victims of Khailad-2 Bijuliya are there”, said Rawal. Altogether 110 families of the same area have grabbed Bandevi community forest and Siddhababa community forest. According to the district forest office, 365 flood victims have taken shelter in Mohanyal community forest at Bhajani VDC. Last year, 400 families had grabbed land there. Thousands of people displaced in the flood last year have been sheltering in forests.