With a view to search possibilities and plan on appreciative collaboration between CFUG and LG in future, a workshop was carried out with the facilitation of team of Forest Action Nepal, EnLiFT II (Dr. Mani Ram Banjade, Kamal Bhandari, Amrit Kumar Poudel and Gyanu Maya Tamang). The workshop was held on 8 August 2019 at Shreechhap Deurali Forest Training Center, Thuloshiruvari of Sindhupalchowk district. A total of 19 participants attended the meeting which included of mayor, ward chairperson, media person, ECs and members of Shreechhap and neighboring CFUGs.
The session of Dr. Mani Ram Banjade majorly focused on legal provisions that defined the relation between CFUGs and local government as mentioned in Constitution of Nepal, Local Government Operation Act, 2074 and proposed new forest act. Majorly discussion in this session focused on limitation of CFUG’s rights to taxation, unclear re-handover process by new proposed laws and necessity to provision of monitoring unit in law.
While Kamal Bhandari’s session was centered to explaining the participants about the objectives of EnLiFT II and objectives behind conduction of the workshop. He also facilitated to present the local issues and challenges by CFUG officials towards LG representative for further discussion to solve those issues. Amrit Kumar Poudel described the technical aspects of EnLiFT II.
Plenary discussion sessions were carried out where the points of mayor and ward chairperson included of future strategies for taking Sindhupalchowk towards prosperity and points of chairpersons from Shreechhap and Sansari CFUG included of issues often raised in CFUG such as human wildlife conflicts, forest fire, unfavorable taxation policy on CFUG, eco-tourism, forest resource management and skilled manpower.
