Shivashakti community forest in Kailali issues two separate notices for same timber auction

Dhangadhi: Shree Shivashakti Community Forest Users Group located in Janaki Rural Municipality-1, Kailali, has published two separate notices on different dates to auction timber collected from the forest area and sold at the mill.

The group issued notices in the Kathmandu City Post on 26th and 29th of Jestha to sell 4,339.49 cubic feet of Asana, Shirish, and Khayar species through bidding. According to both notices, interested individuals, organizations, firms, and companies can purchase bid forms within 21 days from the date of publication of the notice.

The notice states that sealed bids must be registered at the office by 10:00 am on the 22nd day. The notice issued by the Forest Users Group on 26th Jestha mentions that it was published for the first time, while the notice on 29th Jestha also states the same, despite the quantity of timber remaining unchanged.

According to the notice dated 26th Jestha, the bid is scheduled to be opened on Wednesday, whereas according to the notice dated 29th Jestha, the bid opening time is mentioned as Friday on the 22nd day. Stakeholders have expressed concern that the Community Forest Group issued the notice twice in a misleading manner and have alleged that there may have been an attempt to manipulate the tender notice in collusion to auction the timber.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Community Forest Group, Bhim Bahadur Saund, said that details were provided to the newspaper for publishing the timber auction notice on 26th Jestha. He stated that the same notice was published twice due to an error by the newspaper.

Chairman Saund added that they are facing difficulties due to the newspaper error and said that the tender process will proceed according to both notices.