Illegal deforestation under the pretext of road construction in Dadeldhura

Dadeldhura: Forest clearing has been found at Dola Chakrapath under construction in Alital Gaonpalika Ward No. 8 of Dadeldhura.

Trees in the community forest area have been cut down during the construction of the road connecting Godam Bazaar to Dola village under Alital village municipality. According to Dawal Bahadur Bohara, Acting Chief of the Division Forest Office, Dadeldhura, the trees were cut down without the permission of the Forest Office.

According to the Forest Office, 110 rounds of ammunition have been recovered till Friday evening. The bullets were recovered from Rajni Community Forest and National Forest, Bohara said.

A team of the Division Forest Office on Friday arrested a person who was making wood pellets in the area and the chairman of the same forest and said that the investigation process will be started from Saturday.

Chief of the Division Forest Office, Bishnu Prasad Acharya, informed that an investigation has been started into illegal logging during the road construction and action will be taken against the culprits.

Chairman Bal Bahadur Gurung said that work is underway through Ugratara Construction for the construction of 6 km road connecting Godam Bazaar to Dola village under the supplementary fund of the village municipality.

Out of the total budget of Rs 14.5 million, the contract was signed with Ugratara Construction for Rs 7.7 million.

Gurung said that the work has been affected due to the rains as the contract has been signed to complete the construction by December 31, 2077 BS. He has admitted that the problem of deforestation has arisen due to non-assessment of environmental impact.