Nawalparasi, February 21

Smuggling of river products from the Kerungekhola in Kawasoti Municipality continues unabated as the concerned authority has failed to carry out any monitoring in Nawalparasi.

According to locals, 100 to 150 tractors of river products are smuggled from the river every night.

“Smuggling of river products is rampant though the District Development Committee hasn’t sanctioned any tender for extraction of river products from the river this year,” said a local, estimating a loss of over Rs 50,000 per day.

Though the tractors that smuggle river products are often detained, the vehicles are later released with a nominal fine.

Many a time, the police are obliged to release the smugglers under pressure from some big-wigs.

DSP Parshuram Tiwari of Area Police Office, Nawalpur, stressed the need of united effort from all stakeholders, including the DDC, District Forest Office and the police to curb the smuggling of river products.

“Though we are aware of the rampant smuggling, there is nothing we can do to stop it unless all the concerned authorities cooperate,” said DSP Tiwari.

The municipality office and DDC also expressed similar views and highlighted the need to work hand-in-hand to curb the ongoing smuggling.

“We are doing the needful to stop smuggling,” said Man Bahadur Khadka, executive officer of Kawasoti Municipality, adding that his office had also corresponded with other concerned bodies to help control the illegal activity.