Tree felling has started in Brahmadev area of Kanchanpur which falls under Mahakali Corridor. Tree felling has been going on for two weeks in the area connected to the Chure area where the track was not opened in the past.
Even though there was a cutting order two years ago, trees were not cut in the 0 km area of the corridor. Trees were felled two years ago in the Khalla Musetti area in the northern region of Brahmadev.
'The felling order is old, it has been extended and started now,' said Subas Kunwar, Forest Officer of the Division Forest Office Kanchanpur, 'Cutting and ghat gaddi work are being done together.' Last time, there was a dispute about the wood being stolen and small pellets being made when ghat gaddi was done late in the felled area.
According to the Division Forest Office, the deadline for cutting 915 trees in the 0 to 11 km area has been extended. The trees should be cut down within June. The area where trees are being cut now belongs to Siddhanath Community Forest.
In the area where the track was opened two years ago, more trees will be cut as needed. At that time, trees were cut only to open the track. Now more trees have to be cut down for the upgrading of the tracks. Even now, trees will be felled only to open tracks in the Brahmadev area. More trees will be cut during track widening.
Currently, there are trees of Sal, Sisau, Simal, Harro Barro and Asana species that are being cut. Every day, the felled trees are made into pellets to pad the ghat at the office of the community forest. Although it has been started for about a week, so far around 100 trees have been cut.
'In the past, all the trees were felled in one day and only after that the work of ghat padding was done,' said Kunwar, 'There is a risk of theft by doing so, there was also a dispute in the past, that's why now the work of cutting trees, making pellets and ghat padding is being done simultaneously.
