BANKE, March 23: Police have arrested eight people, including Bhola Tharu, the president of Community Forestry Users Committee in Banke's Rapti-Sonari Rural Municipality-5 Binauna.
They were arrested after the locals complained that they were embezzling wood worth about Rs 5.2 million from the community forest in Ghat Gaddi.
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According to Ganesh Khadka, Assistant Forest Officer of District Forest Office, Banke, Sayam Bhawani Community Forest User Committee Secretary Aarti Vaishya, Treasurer Maiasari Tharu, Members Kamala KC, Man Bahadur Vick, Ram Kali Tharu, Khadag Bahadur Oli and Shiv Kumari Tharu have been kept in the custody of the Forest Office.
All eight people will be prosecuted for misappropriation of wood and firewood stored in the Ghat Gaddi. There is no account of the sale of wood and firewood. The money is not even visible in the account", said officer Khadka.
According to the Forest Office, they sell wooden pallets of Sal, Asna, Karma, Jamun, Shirish and other species. They were arrested by the police after obtaining permission from the district court, Banke and handed over to the forest office.
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