RAUTAHAT, July 13

Excavation of materials from rivers and streams has become rampant in Rautahat and Bara districts.

Work to control extraction of boulders, stones and sand has become ineffective, thanks to negligence on the part of agencies working for President Chure Conservation Programme.

After launching the Chure Conservation Programme in the president’s name to protect natural resources, the government has spent millions of rupees in Bara, Rautahat, and Sarlahi. However, inefficiency on the part of concerned authorities has emboldened those involved in smuggling of boulders and stones.

An excavator pulls out boulders and stones from the Bagmati River at Samanpur VDC of Rautahat. The contractor has expedited the excavation of boulders, while the concerned authorities turn a blind eye to the ongoing excavation.

Lutan Thakur, a local, complained that though Ashok Prasad Kalwar extracted up to 400 tractors of boulders with the help of excavators, the concerned authorities kept mum.

Bagmati Irrigation Project had given permits to construction entrepreneurs from Samanpur to repair the canal-way from Zero kilometre to 29 Kilometre within this fiscal in Samanpur. Extraction of boulders has been accelerated in the name of repairing the canal-way,

Meanwhile, as many as six crusher industries have sped up extraction of boulders and stones from local streams and rivers in Bara in connivance with Bara DDC. Chaulagain Crusher Industry, Himalayan Crusher Industry, Lalbakaiya Crusher Industry, Narayani Stone Crusher Industry and Shankar Stone Crusher Industry in Nijgadh have been excavating boulders and stones ever since the DDC issued permits around a month ago.

LDO Krishna Prasad Chapagain at Bara said that DDC had issued permits on the recommendation of District Monitoring Committee.

DDC Bara’s permission to Abanish Agrigrade to collect and store boulders along the East-West Highway from Nijgadh Chure and forest areas had undermined the President Chure Conservation Programme.

Around four months ago, District Forest Office Bara had seized tippers belonging to Abanish Agrigrade for ferrying boulders without permission. However, the tippers were released after they paid Rs 10,000 each.

Jivan Thakur, Bara district forest officer said that Abanish Agrigrade’s proprietors Krishna Prasad Parsai and Ashok Kumar Murarak were summoned to be present at the DFO with necessary documents of their crusher industry. Prasai presented himself before the DFO while Murarak is yet to do so.