The Forest Division Office has removed 18 temporary towers built by encroaching on the Pragathi community forest area in Mechinagar Municipality-13 Charali.

18 families who have been operating vegetable and fish market for the past 18 years at that location connected to the East-West Highway, encroached on the forest area and built an unauthorized temporary structure. Meghraj Rai, head of the division office, said that the forest area was cleared today by deploying the Armed Police, Nepal Police and Forest Guard teams. 

On the initiative of one division, when the security personnel arrived with a dozer, there was a dispute with the local businessmen for a while. After the Forest Office took a stand to remove the encroachment, the locals removed the temporary tower themselves. Rai said that despite three public notices and repeated discussions, the encroachment was not removed and security personnel had to be mobilized to keep the forest area safe. 

Mechinagar Mayor Gopal Budhathoki said that local residents have asked for 10 days to remove the temporary roof and relocate the market. The local residents submitted a petition to the municipality saying that they will remove the temporary tower within 10 days.

'It takes time to make alternative arrangements for business operations at another location, we requested 10 days from the Forest Division and Chief District Officer', Mayor Budhathoki said, 'but the Forest Division office did not agree.' The place where there are sal trees has been encroached on for two decades. Sal trees in the encroached areas have dried up and become desolate, while the residents of the market area have crossed the boundaries and built concrete structures.