KATHMANDU, June 5: Civil society has urged the government to scrap its decision to allow export of sand, stone and gravel to third countries.

Introducing the budget of fiscal year 2021/22, the government decided to allow the excavation of sand, stone and gravel in the Chure region to export to the third countries. The decision has drawn harsh criticism of civil society.

Excess excavation of sand, gravel and stone in Chure and other terai regions will dry the sources of water, increase risks of flood, landslide, drought and reduce cultivation, reads a press statement issued by the civil society.

Excess extraction of sand, stone and gravel in the Chure region has already caused serious environmental problems in the terai region of Nepal. The government had banned the extraction of such resources in the Chure region in 2071 BS in a bid to protect the terai region from desertification.

“This kind of decision that is directly related to the future of the entire country cannot be taken by a caretaker government,” the statement reads, “Such an arbitrary decision of the government is not only wrong but also mentally corrupt, so it should be reversed as soon as possible.”

 
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