In its bid to control unchecked timber smuggling, the District Forest Office (DFO) in Kapilvastu has started a campaign dubbed “Shelter in Forest Plan”.

As part of the campaign that started from October last week, the DFO has deployed forest employees and armed guards who will shelter in the forest area and carry out round the clock patrol.

“The forest employees and guards are mobilised in places where timber smuggling is rampant. The team will detain the smugglers and bring them to book. The campaign will be helpful to control timber smuggling, forest encroachment and even help in wildlife conservation,” said Krishna Neupane, a senior forest officer at the DFO.

Officials hope the plan will be a success. After the campaign’s inception, forest guards have detained a suspected timber smuggler and seized six bicycles and 27 cubic feet Sal timber within past two weeks.

There are three teams, each comprising 10 members, kept on standby with necessary logistics for immediate mobilisation whenever suspicious activities are reported.

According to the DFO, the teams are kept on high alert in the forest areas that border with Arghakhanchi and Rupandehi districts. The campaign has been implemented in Tilaurakot, Gautam Buddha, Mayadevi and Kapilvastu collaborative forests as well.

The forest teams are equipped with 30 rifles, two pistols and around 300 bullets. 

“We have asked Department of Forest to provide additional manpower and weapons. We will add one more team once we are provided the manpower and weapons,” said District Forest Officer Krishna Prasad Bhatta.

Forest consumers’ groups have also supported the campaign.

 “We all should help to make the plan a success. The DFO’s campaign will be effective to control timber smuggling,” said Chairman of Gautam Buddha Collaborative Forest Janaki Yadav.