Dhading bans sand mining during monsoon

Dhading, August 3

In view of increasing deaths related to river mining, the authority in Dhading decided to impose a complete ban on sand mining from rivers in the district during the monsoon season.

There is already a rule that bans mining of river products using heavy equipment during the rainy season.

Given that illegal mining activities are being carried out during the night with heavy equipment and workers are being hired in the day time to collect sand manually from the flooded rivers by risking their lives, the administration has decided to crack its whip.

“We took the decision in consultation with stakeholders to ensure the safety of labourers and also to end illegal mining,” said Dhading Chief District Officer Asman Tamang. As per data, over 3,000 labourers from different parts of the country work as labourers in mining sand from the Trishuli and Ani rivers in Dhading.

“Mining contractors get labourers to collect sand from flooded rivers. When somebody dies, there is no compensation or nothing for their families, which creates problem,” said District Coordination Committee Chief Jagannath Nepal.

Meanwhile, sand mining companies have criticised the administration’s ban.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 4, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.