Rautahat, January 4

With the publication of news about registration of a huge chunk of forest land in the names of individuals published in this daily a few days ago, District Forest Office Rautahat has initiated investigation into the incident.

The probe committee comprises Assistant Forest Officer Bindeshwor Ray Yadav as coordinator and ranger Badri Dhungana as its member.

The committee has collected documents from District Land Survey Office and District Land Revenue Office after a report stating that 106 bigaha land in the vicinity of national forest in Rangapur of the district was registered in the names of different individuals.

District Land Survey Office Rautahat had submitted the report of the land splitting it into 23 kittas at the District Land Revenue Office, Rauataht, citing that it was done as per the order of the Department of Survey in March 2016.

It was revealed that the land was registered in the names of individuals in collusion with ranger Ram Kebal Yadav in August 2013. As per the document, then Rautahat District Forest Officer Hem Lal Aryal had signed the field book. However, ranger Yadav refuted the charges of his involvement.

Meanwhile, District Forest Office Rautahat Chief Dirgha Narayan Koirala said that the probe committee had already started investigating and it would make its report public within a week.

District Forest Office Rauataht had earlier handed over 93 hectare forest land to Shiva Shakti Community Forest Consumers’ Group, 88 hectare to Jaya Hanuman Community Forest Consumers’ Group and 30 hectare to Aaryaghat Gumba Community Forest Consumers’ Group for conservation.