Himalayan News Service

Bardiya, February 4

Around 152 households, users of the Sati Community forest located at Hawpur of Motipur-1, are learning to tke charge of their ocial and economic enviironment. They have become literate in proper governance, transparency, participation, responsibility and forethought. Users have begun asking officials of the forest working committee for details of income and expenditure.

In a public hearing, organized in the community forest office premises, users pointed out instances of corruption by officials. The issue was raised during the inspection of accounts. Many of the working and retired officials of the committee were left with no answers to the questions asked by the users.

Prajapati Poudel, a community forest user, said a better and more democratic working environment had come about this year to stop corruption and exploitation. Another user, Gokarna Chaudhary, blamed officials for lining their own pockets with forest income. Similarly, Pasaram Tharu said, "Most of us illiterate and officials hoodwink us into signing various documents."

Dev Raj Gautam, program mediator and coordinator of CARE Nepal which has been running Sagun Programs in the community, said that proper governance would naturally follow if the consumers became aware of their rights.

Incidentally, this is the first inspection of income and expenditure of community forests in the district, said Hem Raj Bista, assistant district forest officer. Bista called for other community forests and their users to follow the example. The program was chaired by Krishna Prasad Jaisi, head of the community forest group. The community was given the forest in BS 2052. It has also constructed its own office building with resources pooled by members.