Reconstruction work needs 47,860,754 cubic feet of timber, says Government

The government has estimated the need of total 47,860,754 cubic feet of timber to carry out post-earthquake reconstruction works in 31 districts affected by the Gorkha Earthquake that had rattled the country on April 25, 2015.

The estimated volume is for the rebuilding of private houses, government buildings, schools, health institutes and structures of archaeological importance.

The government has the target of completing the post-quake reconstruction works by the next five years.

The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation had constituted a five-member committee headed by Deputy Director of Department of Forest Hem Aryal some three and half months ago to prepare a report on the necessity of the quantity of timber for the purpose of the rebuilding efforts .

The committee submitted its report (based on field visit) Sunday to Minister Shankar Bhandari.

The Minister has already directed the Ministry's subordinate bodies to ensure smooth supply of timber to the quake-hit districts.

The affected districts were divided into three clusters during a study for determining the estimated quantity of the necessary timber.

The Timber Corporation of Nepal Limited has operated 11 sawmills, and works are in progress for the supply of lumbers produced in such sawmills, Corporation's General Manager Birendra Kumar Yadav said.

The government plans to collect logs from the community-run and private forests and other sources and use the current stock logs remaining in the ownership of the community forest, District Forest Products Supplies Committee, Sarnath Forest Development Project, the Corporation and Nepal Forest Industries Association for the rebuilding works, it is said.