A joint team of the Division Forest Office (DFO), Nepal Police and Armed Police Force has recovered the encroached forestland at Gorusinghe in Buddhabhumi Municipality-2, Kapilvastu, along the East West Highway.

Encroachers had built 14 houses and huts in the forestland which were being used to operate eateries.

According to the forest officials, encroachers have been occupying the forestland of Trishuli Community Forest for the last 23 years. The area lies between the Area Police Office in Gorusinghe and the Traffic Police Office.

Ishwori Prasad Paudel, chief at the Division Forest Office, said that they have recovered around 15 katthas of forest land.

“Anita Thapa and Padma Paudel, who had tried to obstruct the team, have been arrested,” Paudel said.

The community forest and the DFO jointly took the initiatives to recover the forestland.

“We had notified the settlers to evict the area a long time ago,” said Paudel, “We were compelled to use force, as they disobeyed the government directives.”

Nil Kumar Shrestha, chairman of the Trishuli Community Forest, said that the municipal office, locals and civil society leaders are in support of the forest office.

Rina Wali, a business operator in the area, said that they were thrown out of the area without providing them any alternative.  

“We don’t know how we will survive now,” she said.

As per the DFO, more than 11,000 hectares of forestland have been encroached upon in Kapilvastu district.