Government serious towards resolving problems faced by displaced people: Forests Minister

Minister for Forests and Environment Pradeep Yadav has said that the government is serious about resolving the problems faced by people displaced due to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.

He said so while receiving today the preliminary report submitted by a commission formed to resolve the problems of the people displaced due to the Reserve. The Minister assured on the occasion that he would take initiative in all the bodies for resolving the problems of the displaced people.

"We will take initiatives for addressing the problems by carrying out extensive study regarding the Reserve-displaced and affected people, " he further said.

The Forests and Environment Minister has instructed the Ministry and subordinate bodies to take updates regarding the people displaced by the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve today itself.

Commission chairperson Raj Kumar Rai submitted the preliminary report to the Minister. The report includes the works carried out by the Commission so far since its formation. The preliminary report states that land should be managed for settling those displaced people who have not received land compensation while making appropriate arrangements in the case of the remaining affected people by carrying out a thorough study.

The government had acquired more than 4,000 bighas of land in Sunsari and Saptari in 2033BS in course of expanding the Reserve. Although it was agreed at the time of the land acquisition that land would be provided to those people whose land had been acquired, many displaced people have complained that they have not been so far provided land as compensation.

Shyam Lamsal, the Commission's expert advisor, said although several displaced people have been given the land-ownership papers by the government and they have been paying the land revenue as well, they have not been able to use their land as the non-displaced people have captured the land.

According to him, although 21 commissions have been formed so far for resolving the problems of the Reserve-affected people, the problems are far from addressed.

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