GODAVARI:  The trend of constructing physical structures encroaching upon forest in the vicinity of Godavari municipality has been increasing. Godavari in Kailali district is the capital city of Sudurpaschim State.

This trend has increased over the past few years and especially since the imposition of the lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus till date.

Division Forest Office Dhangadhi said the trend of constructing structures by encroaching upon forest area has increased of late. Such structures are found constructed by infringing on forest again at the same place they were removed four months back.

Locals say some unscrupulous people are constructing structures one after the other at Gaimara Danda, Phulbasti, Budhitola, the area leading to the Godavari crematorium site, Chunepani, Samadhigada, Bhyaguttepani, Baspani and the forest area along the Bhimdatta highway.

According to the Division Forest Office Dhangadhi, timber smuggling and encroachment of forest has increased in Kailali district with the imposition of the lockdown. Office chief Ram Chandra Kandel acknowledged that timber smuggling and encroachment of forest has suddenly increased in Godavari area.

He said although they have been removing the structures constructed by encroaching the forest area time and again, it is found that people have been constructing structures and living in the same area again.

Kandel said people involved in encroaching the forest and constructing illegal structures would be arrested in coordination with the local administration and action taken against them.

The forest office had removed many such sheds constructed at Gaimara Danda. The trend of constructing sheds at this location has been increasing in recent days. Squatters who have settled near the road have been encroaching upon the community forest, complained one Yagya Bahadur Rawal, a local.

He said houses and sheds are being constructed almost overnight by encroaching upon the community and national forest area. It is said some people, who have constructed sheds by clearing forest at Gaimara area along the Dhangadhi-Dadeldhura road section, have done the same at a place called Khoriya.

It is also suspected that ill attempts are being made to settle people at this place by clearing the forest.
Likewise, the trend of constructing sheds and shops on the side of the road has increased along the Dhangadhi-Dadeldhura (Bhimdatta) highway.

The trend of encroaching the community and national forest around Teghari Godavari area by forest Mafiosi has intensified after the Sudurpaschim state government three years back declared the forest area at Teghari Godavari as the site for the state capital.

Most of the people who have settled on the edge of the forest in the name of flood-affected and landless squatters have been found encroaching the forest and constructing the illegal sheds and houses.

The Division Forest Office Dhangadhi said that 21,154 hectares forest area is found encroached in Kailali.

The national figure for this is 100 thousand hectares and of this 21 per cent forest is encroached upon in Kailali alone.