The smuggling of raw timber of Sal (Sakhuwa) has recently increased in various partnership forests of Sarlahi.
The forests are under the supervision of the Division Forest Office and Sub-Division Forest Office.
The smuggling has been increasing in the partnership forests in Janakinagar, Lalbandi, Phuljor and other places of the district.
Recently, there has been a complaint that smuggling has increased in the Janakinagar Partnership Forest in Haripur Municipality and Hariwan Municipality of the district.
A local informed that sal trees are being cut down and smuggled from the forest area at Haripur Municipality Ward No. 1 and 6.
The Forest Office has stated that monitoring has been intensified to stop the smuggling after complaints were received saying that the Forest Office and the Consumers Committee have become silent even when there is widespread smuggling from the forest.
According to a social campaigner of Haripur Municipality-1, raw timber has been smuggled from the forest area.
He said that many pieces of timber cut by smugglers were found in the Janakinagar forest area.
Janakinagar partnership forest area is spread over about 1,200 hectares of land.
Locals have alleged that the partnership forest area was deserted when the forest office and the consumer committee remained silent.
A local of Janakinagar, who did not want to be named, said that even though the forest office had stepped up surveillance, smuggling was still going on every day.
He also accused the forest office staff of being involved in the smuggling.
Locals have expressed concern that the forest area has been destroyed due to the negligence of the concerned bodies.
Assistant Forest Officer Subash Sah said that they could not patrol the forest area due to lack of staff and resources.
He claimed that patrolling was being conducted by mobilizing available resources to stop smuggling.
Source : TRN,
