The continued acute fuel crisis due to the unofficial blockade by India in various Tarai districts along the border has led to an increase in demand of wood fuel in both rural and urban areas.

At a time when people are celebrating Dashain, the acute shortage of cooking gas has severely affected day-to-day life of millions of people across the country.

Expressing their disagreement with the newly promulgated constitution, several Madhes-based political parties have caused obstruction along the Tarai districts for more than a month now.

In order to facilitate local communities, including those dependent on forest resources to meet their energy needs, the government along with Federation of Community Forests Users’ Nepal have urged their community groups managing the forests to allow the use of wood fuel for cooking purposes.

“The demand for wood fuel that consists of broken twigs, remains of trees and other harvestable products from the forests has increased after the decision to facilitate the energy crisis taken about a week ago,” said Jograj Giri, an official with FECOFUN.

According to him, the community forest users groups in districts are facing an increasing demand for firewood both from rural and urban households. “We have asked the users’ groups in all districts to help the people to get firewood without causing negative impact on forests,” he said.

“Private forest owners are also helping to provide firewood for people in need.”

Community forest user groups in all districts are collecting tree remains including twigs, branches and trunks, and provide them to the public as per their needs. Chitwan, Bardiya, Kanchanpur, Kaski, Lamjung, Kapilvastu, Kailali and Bara, among others, have reported high demand of firewood for cooking purpose.

“We are trying to help the communities during this crisis. However, we have also asked our representatives at the district level to keep a close eye on controlling illegal activities inside forests,” Giri said.