Encroachments Removed From Kailali Forest Areas

Kailali. As part of the campaign to remove encroachments from various forest areas in Kailali, 47 temporary and permanent structures were demolished on Friday.

Structures built on approximately 35 hectares of forest land were demolished, informed Ram Bichari Thakur, Senior Divisional Forest Officer of the Division Forest Office, Kailali. According to him, a team led by Senior Forest Officer Jivaksh Yadav of the Division Forest Office, Kailali, demolished houses, sheds, and other structures built by encroaching on the forest along the Bhimdatta Highway within Godavari Municipality of the district.

He stated that structures illegally constructed for a long time in the forest areas around Bhagyute Pani, Baspani, and Godavari have been removed, and the forest area has been freed from encroachment. "The campaign has been conducted with the objective of conserving forest areas, making demarcation work effective, and controlling encroachment," said Thakur.

Approximately 200 personnel, including employees from all 10 sub-division forest offices of the Division Forest Office, Kailali, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force, were mobilized in the encroachment removal campaign.

Previously, structures built in areas around Attariya and along the East-West Highway falling under the Division Forest Office, Kailali, were also removed. Thakur states that it is necessary to remove encroachments as temporary houses, sheds, and other structures illegally constructed within forest areas have been negatively impacting forest conservation and biodiversity.

The Division Forest Office, Kailali, has stated that regular monitoring is being carried out for the long-term conservation of forest areas, and surveillance has been intensified to prevent encroachments from recurring.

Kailali is considered one of the most sensitive districts in the country in terms of forest encroachment. According to the 62nd annual report of the Auditor General, out of approximately 104,000 hectares of forest land encroached across the country, more than 38 percent is in Kailali alone, which amounts to approximately 38,040 hectares.

However, in recent years, the Division Forest Offices in Kailali have been increasing their activity in controlling and removing encroachments.