BAN FAILS TO DETER TIMBER SMUGGLERS
Surkhet, May 27: The government ban on logging and selling timber until further notice has failed to deter timber smugglers in Surkhet. The government had imposed the nationwide ban recently to discourage deforestation in different parts of the country.
“The forests in the district have been destroyed haphazardly and timber smuggled. And the forest officials themselves assisting the smugglers,” said chairman of a community forest users’ group on condition of anonymity.
Timber smugglers have continued chopping trees in connivance with local forest officials. “The timber smugglers have been transforming the logs from forests in the night. However, the bodies concerned keep a blind eye on the illegal activities,” said a forest user.
The Chief of District Forest Office Forest could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts. RSS