Authorities investigating allegations of illegal excavation in Mahakali river

Baitadi: Concerned authorities have begun taking interest following a complaint filed with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) regarding alleged illegal excavation along the banks of the Mahakali River in the Nepal–India border area.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Baitadi, Rajmani Niraula, said that a complaint has been lodged with the Commission over the illegal excavation and that the process will move forward in accordance with the law. He added that excavation work has currently been halted and necessary action will be taken.

Following the complaint, the District Administration Office has written to Pancheshwor Rural Municipality seeking factual details on the matter. Chief Administrative Officer of the rural municipality, Bir Singh Bhandari, said that the letter from the Authority has been received and that the required process is underway.

He further stated that the Chief District Officer and a team from the District Coordination Committee have also conducted on-site monitoring. He clarified that the rural municipality has not granted permission to any construction company for river excavation, and that the excavation is understood to be taking place illegally.

Since last January, Kankai Kumar KS JV has reportedly been carrying out continuous excavation in the Mahakali River in the Jangalatada area of Pancheshwor Rural Municipality-4. The company has been awarded the contract for the Melauli–Pancheshwor road upgrade through the Physical Infrastructure Development Office, Baitadi. It has been found that the company has been operating a crusher on the riverbank and extracting stones, gravel, and sand.

According to Crusher Standard-2077, a crusher can only be operated after conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and must be located at least one kilometer away from a border river. Similarly, the Stone, Gravel, Sand Excavation, Sale and Management Standard-2077 requires excavation only after approval of an environmental study report. However, the company concerned has been found operating excavation and crusher activities without completing these legal procedures.

There is a legal provision for a monitoring and regulation committee under the coordination of the head of the District Coordination Committee to oversee illegal excavation activities. Following the public disclosure of the issue, the District Administration Office and the District Coordination Committee have increased their attention. A team including District Coordination Committee Baitadi Chief Khagendra Singh Dhami and Office Chief Raghunath Awasthi held discussions with local representatives of the rural municipality.

However, no concrete legal action has yet been taken regarding the alleged illegal mining.