During the investigation conducted by the Division Forest Office, it was found that the committee's officials and members were involved.
What you should know
The involvement of the committee officials in the Gaurighat community forest clearance in Kaluwapur, Krishnapur Municipality-7, Kanchanpur has been found.
During the investigation conducted by the Division Forest Office, it was found that the committee officials and members were involved.
The Division Forest Office is preparing to file a case against 10 members of the working committee, including the chairman. For that, the investigation file has been submitted to the District Government Attorney's Office.
'Now the case process will proceed according to the opinion of the government attorney,' said Bharat Shah, Chief of the Sub-Division Forest Office Bani, who is also the investigation officer assigned by the Division Forest Office to investigate the deforestation. 'We have prepared a file by questioning everyone, observing at the field level, and taking statements from the working committee officials and members, and have submitted it to the Government Attorney's Office accordingly.'
According to Forest Officer Shah, during the investigation, statements were taken from the committee officials and members and discussions were also held with local level people's representatives.
The community forest in the middle of the settlement was destroyed in one and a half hours in the second week of Mangsir. The forest area, which had Sisau and Khayar trees, has become deserted. The Division Forest Office had started an investigation after the forest area that was grown by the locals was emptied.
According to Investigation Officer Shah, a fine of Rs 1.44 million has been claimed for involvement in deforestation. Similarly, a case has been submitted to the government attorney's office demanding double the fine and two years of imprisonment for each person as per the Forest Act.
On Mangsir 11, 164 trees were cut down in the Gaurighat community forest in a period of one and a half hours in the afternoon. Now, only a few trees remain in the community forest, which has an area of about 10 hectares. There are now only some bushes in the community forest in the middle and around the settlement.
According to the Division Forest Office, 135 Khair trees ranging from 16 to 84 inches thick, 28 Sisau trees ranging from 24 to 64 inches thick, and 1 Kanju tree have been felled in the Gaurighat Community Forest. Of the felled trees, 61 Golia Khair trees measuring 101.55 cubic feet and 41 Golia Sisau trees measuring 81.03 cubic feet have also been recovered.
The forest was grown by the locals in 2055 by planting trees on the banks of the Mohana River. Since then, the locals have stopped the attempts of encroachment of the forest in the name of freed Kamaiyas and squatters from time to time. In 2062, the forest was handed over to the community as a deed.
