Rara Lake teeters on the brink, thanks to rampant deforestation

MUGU, Dec 22: Felling of trees in the forest areas around the Rara Lake over the recent years has endangered the scenic lake in Mugu district and thousands of those living in the vicinity.

If the landslides on the banks of the lake, which are triggered by rapid deforestation, go unchecked, the lake could burst soon, caution local residents and other stakeholders.
The outlet of the lake is located to its east but a landslide is rapidly creeping toward the lake from the west. The landslide which is heading toward the lake from the district headquarters, Gamgadi, is about to reach the lake.The rate of deforestation had increased since the forest areas around the lake were handed over to the community in 2001 with the introduction of the Buffer Zone Management Policy. The locals blame the Buffer Zone Management Committee of not working properly to sensitize the community forest users about the importance of preservation of the lake and the forest areas. 
cal administration to relocate villages around the lake citing weak composition of the soil around the lake. However, the government could not rehabilitate the locals elsewhere, citing various reasons, including resource crunch.

Chief District Officer of Mugu, Bala Bhadra Giri, also underscored the need to devise an urgent strategy to save the lake from bursting.


Birkah Bahadur Rokaya, the chairperson of the Buffer Zone Management Committee of the Rara National Park, said that existence of the lake and the park is at stake as the timber from the forest areas is being smuggled out to the district illegally and there is no program in the place to save the lake and bio-diversity. 

लेबलहरू: समाज