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Kathmandu Tuesday August 07, 2001 Shrawan 23, 2058.
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People from hills encroach
forestland in Chitwan
Post Report
CHITWAN, Aug 6 - People from hill area have
encroached upon more than 30 bighas (50 acres) of forest belonging to the District Forest
Office near the eastern Shaktikhor Village Development Committee over the last few days,
District Forest Officials here said.
Hundreds of people from the hill areas cleared
bushes from Chisapani to Gauribari covering about four km of forest area, said District
Forest Officer Madhav Acharya.
Acharya revealed that the organised group had
also collected thousands of rupees from the encroachers to settle them in the forest area.
According to a local woman from Gairibari, the
encroachers were holding guns while capturing the area.
After receiving information of the forest
encroachment, the forest officials arrested three people for action. Infuriated of their
arrest, the encroachers manhandled the forest guards at Saktikhor ranger post, Acharya
said.
However, the forest office, after an all party
meeting, arrested other 15 people on charges of illegally encroaching the forest area and
police had been used to demolish the huts built by them.
A large number of security personnel were called
on to remove the encroachers from the area. Acharya suspected that the so-called squatters
attempted to encroach the forest area well before the forthcoming local elections.
Many people encroach upon the rain forest area
during the elections period which may become very difficult for the concerned authorities
to remove them from the area in the future.
Around 100 people have been brought to trial on
charges of similar cases in the district alone. If found guilty, one is imprisoned for one
year along with a fine of Rs 10,000.
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