In a bid to control deforestation in the name of collecting firewood, three community forests at Syanikhal in Sharada Municipality, Salyan, have distributed cooking gas cylinders and stoves to local residents.

Deputy Mayor Sabitra Basnet distributed cooking gas cylinders and stoves to 100 households in a function on Saturday.

“The forests are being destroyed as the villagers use firewood for cooking purposes. This has a two-pronged effect—the depletion of forest resources and the repercussions firewood has on the health of the users,” said Nim Bahadur Budhathoki, a member of a community forest users’ group. “We are distributing gas cylinders and stoves to curb both these problems, and to promote forest conservation in the local communities.”

Forest users’ groups spent around Rs 500,000 to distribute gas cylinders and stoves. The amount was managed with the income of the community forests—Bisauni, Phulbari and Salneta, according to Budhathoki.

“Many villagers suffer from respiratory problems due to smoke from firewood. Hopefully, this new initiative will improve the health of the locals and also conserve forests,” said Budhathoki.

With this initiative, the forest users’ groups also aim to control environmental pollution caused by firewood smoke.