Kailali timber trade remains suspended for four months, 500,000 cubic feet of wood stranded
Sudurpaschim: The sale and distribution of forest products in Kailali have remained suspended for the past four months, affecting forest product entrepreneurs, consumers, and government revenue.
The provincial government imposed the ban effective from Asar 9 (June 24) following complaints that some community forests had felled trees beyond the quantities permitted under their approved plans.
Acting on the directives of the Finance, Development, and Natural Resources Committee of the Sudurpaschim Provincial Assembly, the provincial Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest, and Environment instructed its subordinate offices to halt sales and distribution pending an investigation. As a result, timber already collected and stored at designated depots, including stocks for which auction procedures had been completed, remains unsold.
Dirgha Narayan Koirala, Secretary at the ministry, said the investigation committee formed by the ministry had submitted its report and that the issue was expected to be resolved soon. He noted that the matter had been discussed several times at the ministerial level, where the actual situation was presented and necessary recommendations were made.
Hemraj Bista, Chief Forest Director at the Provincial Forest Directorate, confirmed that political leaders and other stakeholders had been informed about the challenges arising from the suspension. According to Bista, approximately 500,000 cubic feet of timber are currently stranded at storage depots.
He said the leadership was aware of the risks associated with prolonged storage, including declining timber quality, reduced revenue collection, and difficulties faced by consumers.
Ghanshyam Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee, said the committee had conducted a preliminary inquiry following consumer complaints and directed the relevant ministry to carry out a formal investigation and resolve the issue.
According to Chaudhary, the complaints alleged irregularities involving excessive tree felling beyond approved limits through collusion between managers of various community forests in the Dhangadhi and Pahalmanpur areas and Forest Office staff.
“We have formally requested an investigation to determine the actual situation; the subsequent procedures will be handled by the government. Our role in this matter is limited. Even the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has already taken an interest in this case,” he said.
After conducting on-site inspections of certain forest areas, the committee directed the ministry to suspend all ongoing activities, including the sale and distribution of forest products, in the affected forests and submit all relevant documents within three days.
Following a ministerial-level decision on Asar 10, a three-member investigation committee was formed under the coordination of Senior Divisional Forest Officer Gokul Rijal.
The committee examined four community forests under the Dhangadhi Division Forest Office and six under the Pahalmanpur jurisdiction. The forests covered by the investigation included Chhativan Community Forest in Janki Rural Municipality-8 and 9; Shivashakti Patabhar Community Forest in Ward 9; Mohanyal Community Forest in Ghodaghodi Municipality-2; Mainapokhari Community Forest in Ward 8; Janata Community Forest in Ward 9; and Pragatisheel Community Forest in Mohanyal Rural Municipality-1.
The study also covered Mauwari and Pashupati community forests in Gauriganga Municipality-1, Kedareshwar Community Forest in Ward 3, and Barhawan Collaborative Forest in Ward 6, all within the Dhangadhi area.
The committee said it conducted the necessary studies, observations, and document analysis to verify compliance with the Forest Act, 2076 (2019/20), and the Forest Regulations, 2079 (2022/23). It submitted its report before the end of Asar.
Forest product entrepreneurs have argued that suspending sales and distribution across the entire district because of problems identified in only a few forests is unjustifiable. They have been demanding an immediate resolution since the suspension began.
Lal Bahadur Shahi, General Secretary of the Environment Conservation and Forest Product Entrepreneurs Association, Kailali, said the four-month suspension had caused significant financial hardship for entrepreneurs. He noted that the complete halt in business activities had placed an additional economic burden on them, particularly during Asar, when bank interest payments and loan installments are due.
“This same problem has been recurring for the past few years. Someone files a complaint, and based on that, the government imposes a suspension—yet there is no disclosure regarding what the actual problem was or how it was resolved,” Shahi said.
“Even this time, multiple investigation committees have been formed, but there has been no explanation as to what the core issue is or why it has remained unresolved for four months. This has caused difficulties for entrepreneurs and general consumers alike, and the government is also suffering a loss in revenue.”
Yadav Bhandari, Central General Secretary of the Collaborative Forest Consumers’ Federation, Nepal, said suspending operations in specific forest areas where irregularities had been identified might be appropriate, but halting sales and distribution across the entire district had disproportionately affected entrepreneurs and consumers.
He said timber—including fallen, dry, or degraded wood—loses quality when stored for long periods at collection sites known as ghatgaddis, resulting in losses to government revenue.
“If there was an issue, appropriate action should have been taken; if not, a resolution should have been provided immediately,” Bhandari said. “Instead, the situation was further complicated by turning it into a matter of personnel postings for certain officials and a question of prestige for some politicians.”
Timber sales and distribution in Kailali were suspended twice during the previous fiscal year. With the latest suspension taking effect on Asar 9, the trade of approximately 500,000 cubic feet of timber has been stalled.
Some of the timber has already been collected and cleared through the auction process and is awaiting pickup at collection sites, while other quantities are still being collected.
Jibach Yadav, acting chief of the Division Forest Office in Dhangadhi, said more than 300,000 cubic feet of timber were stranded in community and collaborative forests under his jurisdiction. He noted that the issues had been discussed repeatedly and that officials were now urging an immediate resolution.
Janak Padhya, Chief of the Division Forest Office in Pahalmanpur, said more than 150,000 units of timber were stockpiled at collection sites in the area, while the collection of the remaining timber had been halted.
Although some work began after collection authorization was granted last Chaitra (March/April), the overall process of timber collection and management remains incomplete. Padhya said timber collection activities scheduled for this year’s Asoj (September/October) had also come to a complete standstill.
He added that the relevant authorities had already been informed about the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs and consumers because of the suspension, as well as the risk of timber quality deteriorating.
Stakeholders are calling for a swift resolution, warning that the prolonged suspension is not only reducing timber quality but also placing a significant burden on consumers.