Community forests along the Baddichaur-Guttu road have been encroached upon after local political parties settled 110 families displaced by a landslide at Lagam three years ago. The families have been living in community forest area at Bijaura, Gutthu, Bidhyapur, Babiachaur, Salkot and Pokharighat.

Similarly, political parties had also re-settled 150 families, who were displaced by landslide at Simlepani in Taranga, at Bhatteghari forest in Haripur six years ago.

Likewise, forests in all wards of Taranga and Hariharpur VDCs have been encroached upon after people settled there during the Maoist insurgency. DFO data shows around 150 families have been living in forest land at Taranga and 120 families in Hariharpur.

DFO chief Shambhu Prasad Chaurasiya, however, said political parties were not above the law to resettle families in community forests. He said proper procedure should be followed to relocate the landslide victims.

Meanwhile, Assistant Forest Officer Surya Prasad Sharma said they were helpless even though locals came up with plans for the conservation and development of the forests.

He said though political parties showed willingness to take action against the guilty, they turned their back while executing the decisions. “Of late, the settlers themselves had been visiting the office with the request to fell trees in the settlements,” he said, adding that they cannot even remove dead trees from illegal settlements.

According to the DFO, flood victims, landless people and various organisations have encroached upon 538 hectares of national forest and 212 hectares of community forests in the district.