Narayangarh, October 12:

Women are leading a consumers’ committee of a community forest in Birendranagar of eastern Chitwan. All the 12 members of the working committee of Dudhkoshi Community Forest Consumers’ Committee (DCFCC) are women.

Chairperson of DCFCC Chandra Devi Gurung said that the working committee has been taking care of the forest, forming policies and social activities for a year.

There is representation of women from janajatis, dalits and indigenous communities in the working committee.

The committee has been providing yearly allowance of Rs 500 to widows above the age of 70, elderly women of above age of 75 and elderly man above the age of 80 and yearly amount of Rs 800 to some 105 consumes of the forest, Gurung said.

The committee has been providing assistance to the construction of toilets, students passing SLC exam with highest marks in the district, children of conflict victims and squatters, Gurung said.

Such assistance has been provided to the consumers at ward no- 7 and 8 of Birendranagar VDC and ward no- 1 and 2 of Khairahani VDC in which the forest is situated, Gurung said.

The annual income of Dhudhkoshi Community Forest is Rs 27 lakhs. There are 3200 women members out of 6500 members of some 1500 households of the consumers.

The women are also involved in patrolling for the security of the forest, cutting the unwanted bushes and launching tree plantation programs in the forest, she said.

Dhudhkoshi Community Forest is extended in the areas of 686 hectors at some five kilometres north form the Mahendra Highway.

The forest has been providing wood, firewood, grass and other forest products to its consumers and it has been planned to develop forest-based small industries, secretary of the working committee, Durga Kumari Sharma said, adding, the committee has been organising various skill-oriented training to the women.