SURKHET, May 5: A crusher plant operating illegally at Gochhekhola in the Chure range was shut down in mid-March by the local authorities.
However, the factory has been reopened to complete an under-construction building of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The CIAA office in Surkhet has issued a letter to Bheriganga Municipality to cooperate with the crusher plant to supply sand and aggregate for the construction of office building of the anti-graft body.
The CIAA wrote the letter to the municipality against the law after its building couldn't be completed within the deadline following the closure of the crusher plant.
The letter further mentioned that the building should be completed within the deadline of May 29, 2020 for which the CIAA requires 872 cubic meters of sand and 1090 cubic meters of aggregate.
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A copy of the CIAA's letter written to the municipality has been sent to the District Coordination Committee, District Administration Office, Division Forest Office, Cottage and Small Industry Development Committee explaining the reason behind the request.
CIAA said it sent the letter after consulting with the concerned stakeholders.
“We wrote the letter requesting the concerned authorities to coordinate with the crusher plant since to supply the required materials for us. However, we were not informed that the crusher plant was operating illegally,” said Megh Nath Sapkota, spokesperson of the regional office of CIAA.
A district level monitoring committee had shut the crusher plant for the second time . The committee chief Chhabilal Sigdel said that the crusher plant, during their inspection a week ago, was found to be operating against the criteria set by the government.
However, the committee has not been able to publish the investigation report due to the fear of CIAA.
“During normal circumstances, we publish our report within the first two to three days after the completion of investigation,” said a District Coordination Committee member seeking anonymity.
“But no one has dared to do so after the CIAA issued the letter,” he added.
According to the Division Forest Office, Gochhekhola area is a part of the sensitive Chure area. As per the standard operating procedure for the operation and establishment of crusher plant, the factory should be operate at least 500 meters away from the Chure area, rivers and rivulets which the crusher plant has failed to do.
