book setup 2069 nijamati.indd

In order to carry out the responsibility of the local bodies, adequate attention
is given to empower the local/grass-root people. In different sectors such
as agriculture, drinking water, works and transport, education and sports,
irrigation, soil erosion and river control, physical development, health service,
forest and environment, language and culture, tourism and cottage industries
miscellaneous, etc., authorities are clearly define to the local authorities. All
development administrative, as well as judicial authorities are carried out by
the elected representatives. To make them accountable, for involving in every
affair of local bodies, institutional mechanisms have been set up. The system
of involving grass-root people in the process of formulation, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of different sectors of plans and programs intuitional
mechanisms have been practiced. Public auditing and public hearing have been
the part of life of the local people so that every work is made demand-based,
transparent and people have realized self-ruled in a full- fledged democratic
manner.
5.2 Community forestry
Community forestry (CF), one of the most successful approaches of the
forestry sector, is defined as a process through which government transfers the
responsibility of managing forests to the communities and recognizes latter’s
right to use on sustainable basis (Kanel, 2004). This implies that there is a
significance of sustainability concept in the community forest management.
Rural communities live in close proximity of community forest, particularly
in the mid-hills. Mostly they directly rely on the CF for fuel wood, fodder,
and livelihood. Simultaneously, it empowers women, poor, and Dalit through
the upliftment of socio and economic status by the process of decentralization
and good governance. These people need regular supply of forest products and
income from the forest in order to maintain their life perpetually. Therefore,
the sustainability of community forest management has turned out to be
indispensable.
Nepal’s forestry service has gone through tremendous changes since the
nationalization of forests in 1957. Continued perceptions of rapid deforestation
and forest degradation during the 1970s forced the government to encourage
community participation in forest management. However participatory forestry,
as initiated in 1978, still remained under the control of the local and central
administration without meaningful people’s participation. With the establishment
of democracy in 1990, community forestry (CF)- a paradigm that delivers both
democratic governance and social inclusion to bring social transformation,
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