Kathmandu June 3:

Timber entrepreneurs in the district have been affected badly due to the prolonged lockdown. Surya Chandra Khanal, who runs a furniture industry at Pyuthan Municipality-4, is facing hard times owing to the stay-at-home order. “I am in trouble as I am finding it hard to repay loans to financial institutions. Now I am going through difficulties to even make a living for me and my family,” he said. Timber entrepreneurs in the district are worried much as timbers cut down for sale are decaying. Approximately one million cubic feet timbers cut for sale has been left in forests and river banks in the district. “Timbers decay during monsoon season,” said Yagya Bahadur KC, Chairperson of the Timber Entrepreneur Association. Waiving interest on loans taken by timber entrepreneurs would help a lot, he said. There are around 100 timber entrepreneurs at nine local levels in the district. Fifty five entrepreneurs are the members of the association.