Bajura, December 12

A joint team deployed from District Police Office and District Forest Office of Bajura today seized illegally collected medicinal herbs from Kolti VDC of the district.

Inspector Harihar Sunar of the DPO said the team seized medicinal herbs worth Rs 15 million, which was to be sent outside of the district today. He said the contractors, who had got the permission to collect 9,700 kg from the DFO, had prepared to export more than the contracted amount of herbs.

DSP Dal Bahadur Bogati of the DPO said the joint team seized 38,880 kg of Jatamashi, Katuki and Chiraito, among other medicinal herbs. He informed that the market value of the seized herbs was Rs 15 million.

He added that the joint team had acted on a tip-off to take the herbs under control. The seized medicinal herbs have been handed over to Area Forest Office, Kolti.

Meanwhile, Chief of the DFO Bijendra Subedi said investigation into the case had begun. He said the herbs collected beyond the concerned authority’s permission would be seized and the collectors would be brought to book.

“The forest office can take action against collectors who collect up to 10,000 kg herbs illegally,” he added. Subedi said a case will be filed against the herb collectors in the district court if they’ve collected more than 10,000 kg.

Local contractors said medicinal herbs worth Rs 200 million was supplied outside the district on a yearly basis. “But the DFO denies this statistics,” they added.

As many as 65 different types of medicinal herbs, including Yarsagumba, Samaya, Satuwa, Katuki, Red mushroom, Guchhi mushroom, Jatamashi, Sugandhawal, Panch Aaule, Chiraito and Bojo, among others, are found in the district.