District Development Committee (DDC) had permitted only a few areas for dredging but rampant digging is being done at many other areas illegally. Chief Planner of Kailali DDC Yogendra Bahadur Chand informed that they have given permission for excavation only at five places from Chisapani to Kharaula.
Stating that the government is aware about the illegal excavation, he claimed that such task has become rampant due to the ongoing construction of Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project.
Due to the incessant excavation, giant holes have occurred in the river. The locals fear of flood and erosion due to extraction of stones and gravels. They even expressed grievances that the concerned authorities have turned a deaf ear to their pleas to halt such illegal activities.
A nearby community forest has also permitted to dig out stones and gravels in order to collect money.
President of the community forest, Dhana Bahadur Shah, stressed on the positive sides of excavating stones and gravels from the river and added, "The income has increased after extraction of stones and gravels. I don't see anything wrong with it." Eight trippers have been transporting gravels and woods daily from the community forest.
Rani Karnali Forest Department had given permission to Kumar Construction Company for extraction on February 19. The authorities at the department informed that the holes created after extraction of stones and gravels will be used for fishery.
A local representative of the construction company, Bhupendra Magar, said that brining stones and gravels from further places would be expensive so they had chosen the forest. He confirmed that the forest department had asked them for extraction of stones and gravels.
However, District Forest Officer Jagadi Prasad Gupta said that the extraction is an illegal act.
"Use of excavator is against the law. I don't know how it is being done," said he, adding, "I will deploy a team for field study."
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