GAIGHAT, SEPTEMBER 8

The government ban on timber transportation has left timber worth Rs 500 million stranded in Udayapur forests.

The Cabinet meeting held on May 28 had taken a decision to stop all kinds of forest-related work. Udayapur District Forest Officer Ambika Poudel said the Cabinet had banned transport of all kinds of timber.

According to assistant Forest Officer Jageswor Sah, the government had halted timber transportation after trees were felled with permission from the Forest Office.

Community forest members say that timber was being stolen and they had now started decaying. “A large quantity of timber has been stuck in the forest for the past six to seven months,” said timber entrepreneur Narayan Karki.

Karki said the government should not halt the transport of timber on the pretext of damage to the forest.

“Mistakes might have happened. But, all timber entrepreneurs should not be put in the same basket,” said Karki.

He urged the government to cancel the decision.

Timber entrepreneur Kushal Babu Basnet said timber transport was halted in the interest of big timber traders and entrepreneurs.

Feature Image: File

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 9, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.