‘DFO employees conspiring with smugglers’

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Sindhuli, May 11: Local people have accused the employees of the District Forest Office for conspiring with smugglers to clear the forest stretching over 150 bighas of land in Mahendrajhyadi Village Development Committee (VDC) of the district.

They further say that the smugglers have been illegally cutting down trees in the forests of Hattidamar, Dhulaura Kholsi, Botani Kholsi and Mainadar villages. "The illegal activity is carried out during the nighttime by lighting lamps and lanterns," they blame.

Dorje Syangdan, a local resident and General Convention member of the Nepali Congress, says that the smugglers have continuously felled trees in the forest of the Mahendrajhyadi VDC for the last 10 months. Syangdan suspects that DFO employees are in collusion with the timber smugglers.

"As the District Forest Office is well aware of the illegal cutting down of trees, it has turned its blind eye to it," he says.

Binod Dahal, assistant secretary of the CPN (ML) of Sindhuli, also blames the employees of the DFO for extending support to the smugglers.

Dahal informed that a team of the Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal led by MP Lila Mani Pokhrel handed over a memorandum, regarding the activities of the smugglers, to the District Forest Office last month.

Due to rampant deforestation in the area, the land once covered with dense green forest has turned barren now. Shyam Bahadur Lungeli, resident of Jhyadi, said that the district has witnessed growing deforestation, as the timber poachers are active in the district.

"The smugglers are found to be selling illegally acquired timber in the villages," he said.

He also said that the forest officer, who had come to the village-based forest office, is on leave, as he has been unable to control the unauthorised felling of trees in the area.

Regarding the illegal cutting of trees in the area, Surendra Poudel, Chief District Officer (CDO) of Sindhuli, said that he had issued directives to the police and forest office to investigate into the matter. "But they have been unable to find anything," Poudel said.

Bodh Raj Subedi, officiating chief of the District Forest Office, ruled out the involvement of DFO employees in timber smuggling.

"Since local people do not want to point out the smugglers and the patrolling force has been reduced in strength, we have started to cut down the trees to sell timber according to a work plan and it is not destruction of forest," Subedi said.

Nepalese garden exhibit in Japan

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 11: The Royal Nepalese Embassy in Tokyo recently participated in a garden exhibition organised by Tokyo’s famous Hotel Okura, a press release of Royal Nepalese Embassy in Tokyo states. This exhibition was participated by the wives of Ambassadors from Nepal, Switzerland, Canada, Turkey, Thailand, Italy, South Africa, Egypt, Germany and New Zealand.

Nepal’s garden consisted of a Dhunge Dhara with images of Ganesh and Buddha on either side of the ‘Dhara’, a pond and a small patch of green grass with blooming rhododendrons and blue poppies, the press release further says.

This garden, named ‘A Garden for Prayers’, also had elephant and lion shaped flowerpots from Nepal. The design concept for the garden was developed by Mrs. Kohinoor Mathema, wife of Royal Nepalese Ambassador.

It is estimated that over twenty thousand people visited the exhibition during the period from May 2 to May 6, 2001.

Bharatnatyam recital by Valli

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 11: Ms. Alarmel Valli, a foremost exponent of the Pandanallur tradition in Bharatnatyam and also a creative artist who is able to bring "the essence of dance", is to present a Bharatanatyam recital at the Royal Nepal Academy Hall on May 25th

Valli, honoured with different awards, has given many recitals leading theatres of numerous countries. The standing ovation she receives at performances shows the appreciation that the people have for her style of Bharatnatyam recital.

While in the country, she would be performing Varnam Kana Avalanen, the highlight of Bharatnatyam recital, which contains two different aspects of Indian classical dance- Nitta (abstract technique), and Abhinaya- (Expressive delineation).

Other dance that would be staged include Water Song: Jeevanam Jeevanamritam (the nectar of life), Unnuneer Vikkinaan and Thillana.

The programme is jointly being organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Embassy of India in Kathmandu.