BENI: The trend of constructing private shelter by encroaching upon the community forest and public land has amplified in the Beni Municipality of Myagdi district.

Over 10 houses and huts have been constructed on the public land at Bagarphant and Khabara of Beni Municipality-4.

Moreover, some people have succeeded in bringing the community forest land at Bagarphant to their personal ownership through an illegal means and are busy with its trade, said a local on condition of anonymity.

A section of people identifying themselves as homeless are busy with the plan of encroaching upon and then taking the ownership on the public land, as locals complained.

Likewise, an encroachment upon the public land at Bhakundechaur of Beni Municipality is going on with the expansion of the market area. Some so called 'smart' and 'intellectual' individuals have taken control over the public land to construct houses, locals said.

It has been learned that the rampant encroachment on land belonging to the Bagarphant Community Forest and Khadga Bhawanikot Guthi is going on.