The sit-in was postponed after a verbal agreement was reached to accept the decision of the all-party meeting on August 8
Rukumpur. Dhorpatan hunting reserve has been set up in Puthauttarganga village municipality ward no. Locals who have been protesting against the attempt to set up an army camp at Bayaldanda have postponed the sit-in.
After setting up the army camp, the locals had been protesting since June 30, saying that they would not be involved in the forest and the army would follow their instructions.

Avinash Thapa Magar, assistant warden of Dhorpatan Game Reserve, informed that the locals withdrew the sit-in after a verbal agreement to hold an all-party meeting at the village level on March 7 and proceed as per the decision of the same meeting.
From Tuesday morning till late evening, discussions were held in Bayaldanda with the reserve team and the current and outgoing ward chairpersons of Putha Uttarganga 5 and 6 wards. Representatives of some parties and locals also participated in the discussion.

The Dhorpatan hunting reserve in Bayaldanda of Putha Uttarganga village municipality ward no. After that, the Community Forest Concern Committee in the ward had issued a statement on May 28 protesting against it. No agreement could be reached even after holding discussions with the concerned parties along with those who were in favor of setting up an army camp at Taksera on the 13th.
The locals had started a sit-in on the evening of April 3 after no agreement was reached from the discussion. On the same day, a team including Assistant Warden Thapa Magar and Deputy Box of Durga Box Gulm came to Bayaldanda from the reserve.

The locals had obstructed the team from entering Bayaldanda for some time. Concerns that the army will cause grief
Dimmurgaira and Mayang are two large villages in Ward No. 6 of Putha Uttarganga. Locals have been protesting against the decision to set up an army camp in the area without the consent of the majority of the people. Citizens understand that if the army camp of the reserve is kept in Vayaldanda, we will not have any connection with the forest and herbs.

Dhan Bahadur Sen, a local, said, “Until now, we have to follow the army’s recommendation and permission as soon as we set up camp in the forest, which we have been enjoying and protecting ourselves. We don’t want that.” We want to stay the way we are now. ‘
The same army camp was earlier tried to be located in Ward No. 13. Puniraj Gharti, chairman of Puthauttarganga village municipality, said that they were being kept in Bayaldanda of Ward No. 6 after the people showed signs of protest. Stating that the reserve has started encircling its area, Chairman Gharti said that the reserve should work by bringing all the citizens here to a consensus. “The reservation should reach a consensus to address the demands of the people,” said Chairman Gharti.

He added, “People have come to understand that it is sad to have an army camp in the reserve. Reserves do not cause grief as people understand, because reservation is also a part of government. But now the open forest, jungle, herbs that the locals have got to consume will not be the same later. Because the government, the reservation has its own rules, laws, standards. This kind of rule, law has an effect on the lives of the people now and in the future.

‘He said that not only the issue of Bayaldanda in Putha but also the citizens of all the places affected by the Dhorpatan hunting reserve have been protesting against the security post to be constructed by the reserve. Citizens here have been protesting against the declaration of intermediate zone.

Chief Conservation Officer of the reserve, Birendra Prasad Kandel, said that the work has been started after discussions with the concerned bodies as the government of Nepal has decided to set up a security post in the reserve. He also said that he had earlier reached Vadastar and held discussions with the people of Baglung and Gulmi, including Rukum (East) in the government’s proposed intermediate zone.

Eight wards (wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 13) of Putha Uttarganga village municipality of Rukum (East) have been affected by Dhorpatan Game Reserve. Half of the other wards fall under the reserve, while all the areas of ward number 2 fall under the reserve.
The largest part of the reserve, i.e. 60 per cent of the land, falls in Rukum (East). This 60 percent part belongs to Putha Uttarganga village municipality. The rest falls in Baglung and Myagdi. Although Rukum (East) has a large part of the reserve, the head office is in Baglung.