The residents of Sonbarsha, Gangapur, Kudarbatewa and Deupurawa in Banke have constructed houses by encroaching the land of local community forests.

Aniruddha Yadav, chief of Baijapur Sector Forest Office, said a large area of land inside Durgamata Community Forest, Ramjanaki Community Forest and Ganapati Community Forest were under illegal occupation.

The authorities have so far been unable to evict the illegal settlers who claim to have been displaced by the Rapti river flood three years ago, he added.

There are more than 500 houses built inside the Ganapati Community Forest alone. And no one has investigated if all the occupants of these houses are genuine flood victims, as they claim.

District Forest Officer Pushpa Raj Bartaula said they have repeatedly asked the illegal settlers to clear the property, but to no avail.