Ratnanagar (Chitwan), Oct 1: Some 1,211 hectares forest of Chitwan National Park (CNP) has been under encroachment.
CNP Chief Conservation Officer Kamal Jung Kunwar said that the magnitude of intrusion is increasing which has resulted in growing clean-up of forestry, unwanted disturbance to wildlife and intensifying soil erosion.
The national park is stretched over a total area of 932 square kms. The park has not been successful in averting encroachment albeit its year-long efforts. Bandarjhula of Madi is the most encroached area where 550 hectares of land has been so far intruded.
The failure in removing encroachment has posed a serious threat to the existence of the national park – which is enlisted as the conserved area.
The national park is also sprawled over Chitwan, Makawanpur and Nawalparasi. Besides, Bandarjhula, the national park area towards Balmiki Ashram of Nawalparasi and Sunachuri of Makawanpur is also under encroachment. The national park database has revealed that some 60 hectares of its land has been intruded in Gajgraha and Triveni Susta of Nawalparasi.
CNP Chief Kunwar further shared that the national park’s 241 hectares of land has been encroached at Naya Belhani while it is 27 hectares in Pithauli in Nawalparasi. Similarly, 15.4 hectares is being trespassed.
Among other areas overrun in the national park are Gitanagar, Pile Manahari and Kumaroj of Chitwan.
According to the CNP sources, estimated 2,500 households are residing in the encroached land of the park.
Source RSS
