According to District Forest Office (DFO), a forest area of two kilometres in length and 46 kilometres in width is being deforested. “The order was passed from central level,” DFO informed, adding that trees of Belaka Jansakti and Amarjyoti Community Forests are also being cut down. Chief of DFO Kishor Chandra Gautam confirmed that the trees were being cut down for the expansion of transmission lines.

“The cost has already been estimated,” Forest Ranger Rajdev Thakur of Tapeshwori Forest Post said. We will begin work after a final approval from the Department of Forests, he added. Secretary of Federation of Community Forest Users Nara Bahadur Khadka, however, was skeptical of the decision.