11 August, Hetauda: In its attempt to conserve the Chure region, the government is planning to take stern action to groups running businesses by misusing Chure area natural resources including stones, gravels and sands.

Inaugurating the third general convention of the Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN) in Hetauda today, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Mahesh Acharya said the government was active in implementing the partnership concept in forest conservation and the Forest Consumers’ Committees should be alert on conservation of Chure.

The government will make it easy for crusher entrepreneurs on production and export of stones, gravels and sands outside Chure area and has been consulting with technicians, he added.

Minister Acharya said government has directed the concerned bodies to smoothly provide these resources to needy local people within three months.

President Chure Conservation Committee Chairman Rameswor Khanal suggested separate plan for Chure conservation by the Consumers Committees of community forests.

Earlier on Sunday, Minister Acharya had said the government was doing homework for long-term conservation of Chure through coordination with the people, not by engaging in confrontation with them.

“The government was consulting the major political parties to prepare a concept paper for Chure-friendly development,” he said.

He also said that the ongoing trend of sand, stone and pebble extraction from Chure would be controlled.

The government imposed a ban on export of sand, stones and pebble to India and operation of crusher industries adding that the larger Chure landscape would crumble if the ongoing trend of extraction was not stopped, he cautioned.

He was of the view that sustainable benefit would be achieved in Chure conservation if community forest was conserved through larger people’s participation for Chure conservation.