KATHMANDU: The government today decided to send all seized red sandalwood for auction.

A meeting of the Cabinet’s Finance Committee today decided to sell the 173 tonnes red sandalwood at Rs 800 per kilogram through auction. As per the market value, the seized sandalwood costs a total of Rs 1.38 billion.

“The committee today fixed the rate of the sandalwood. The seized sandalwood — the issue of which is under legal consideration at different courts throughout the country — will be sent

for auction for sale following due process,” said

Dipak Bohara, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation. He informed

that the government would follow all provisions of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

“The committee took the decision to resolve the problem of the huge amount of the seized sandalwood,” he added.

Other 54 tonnes of the unclaimed sandalwood will be, however, returned to India as it was supposed to have been smuggled in from India.

The government had seized the huge amount of the precious timber from different places at various times.

The committee decided to form a task force coordinated by Ministry of Law and Justice for scientific preservation of government stamps and documents.

The Cabinet’s Administration Committee also discussed appointing

regional administrators in vacant posts. “But the decision to this regard will be taken during the next meeting on Friday,” said Minister for Commerce and Supply Rajendra Mahato.

Home Minister Bhim Rawal informed that

the committee’s next meeting would take a decision about fixing the service tenure of Nepal Police personnel.