Chitwan Division Forest Office Begins Removing Risky Roadside Trees

Chitwan. The Division Forest Office Chitwan has started removing risky roadside trees. Tree felling has begun on risky trees identified along the road from Aapatari to Devghat.

Although the Devghat Area Development Committee has been continuously advocating for tree felling for the past 10 years, 25 trees from Aapatari to Devghat have started to be felled this year. The committee had requested the felling of 62 trees on the road, citing them as risky.

According to Bishnu Prasad Acharya, Chief of the Division Forest Office Chitwan, 10 trees on that road section were already felled as they were dry. Those trees were felled through the regular process.

For other trees, felling has started in accordance with Rule 36, Sub-rule 6 of the Forest Regulations 2079, third amendment, which allows for the removal of branches or entire trees if they pose a risk to roads within forests, electricity, telephone towers, or air safety.

He informed that more trees will be studied and felled. By the month of Baishakh, the Devghat Area Development Committee will fell the trees and hand them over to the Forest Office, and in the month of Jestha, a tender will be called for the sale of the timber.

The road leading to Devghat, which holds religious significance, faced difficulties in movement due to trees falling on it. Some trees were in a condition where they could fall at any time. These trees fall within the Barandabhar forest area and Satanchuli and Jaldewi community forests.

Identification of risky roadside trees has begun in the Tikauli area of the East-West Highway, from Bhojad to Haripur Post on the way from Bharatpur to Kalika Municipality, and from Lamatol to Padampur. That area falls within the Barandabhar and Navajagrriti community forests.

Monitoring has started for the felling of trees located in the Khageri canal in front of Agriculture and Forestry Science University Rampur. On the request of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the Forest Office will study whether there is a risk by Baishakh and proceed with the process of felling if they are risky, Acharya said.

He stated that the Forest Office is working to minimize risks by removing trees along roadsides and in other risky areas in accordance with prevailing laws.