Illegal logging is stripping Dhading district of its forests in recent times, unbeknownst to the District Forest Office.

Concerned people in the district say illegal logging is taking place in most of the forests under community protection in the district in the name of providing wood to the earthquake-displaced people for building homes, when in fact it is the timber smugglers cutting down the trees in cahoots with the representatives of community forest users’ groups.

Shreeman Kalika Community Forest in Khalte is one of the many protected forests that has lost its trees by the hundreds.

A local man claimed that around 400 pine trees that were under the community’s care have been felled since last year.

For every felled tree, he said, the forest users’ group is paid from Rs 205 to Rs 305.

It is said that timber smugglers have worked out a similar bargain with other forest users’ groups to cut down tress in places like Jogimara and Dhusa.

District Forest Officer Imanath Paudel said the forest office has not issued felling permits in the name of earthquake victims.

We will soon conduct inspection of community forests to find out the truth, he said, adding that lack of human resources has limited their capacity when it comes to conducting regular monitoring of forests.