Biratnagar, June 22

Illegal mining of river products from rivers continues unabated in Urlabari Municipality, Morang. The district-based Bhumi Construction in collusion with Mayor Khadga Fago is carrying out the illegal act.

Mining is being done in Urlabari’s Miklukhola and Soltikhola rivers without conducting an environmental impact assessment. Mayor Khadga Fago of Urlabari has been facilitating the contractor to extract and sell aggregates.

Bhumi Construction was awarded a contract to mine aggregates from seven rivers and export them through 17 entry points. However, the contractor has been extracting and selling river products.

A pressure committee led by Ganga Prasad Bastola was formed to press Mayor Khadga and contractor Bhim Poudel to stop their activities.

About two months ago, a meeting of the executive council of the municipality had decided to protect human settlements by digging a channel in those rivers. But the mayor colluded with the contractor and facilitated mining and sale of river products from unauthorised rivers.

Deputy Mayor Laxmi Bhandari and ward chairs have protested the illegal mining of river products.