TIKAPUR, Dec 17: Various local units of Kailali are having disputes among themselves regarding extraction of natural resources from rivers due to territorial disputes.
The local units are prohibiting each other from extracting materials claiming that the river falls in their territory. Mohanyal Rural Municipality has prohibited Lamkichuha, Ghodaghodi and Gauriganga municipalities from excavating sand and aggregates from the rivers and streams of the Chure range. "All the rivers and streams in Chure area are ours," said Nawal Singh Rawal, chairperson of Mohanyal, adding, "No other local unit will be allowed to extract construction materials from here."
Meanwhile, many other neighboring local units have been staking their claim to extract from the Chure area.
Similarly, Godawari and Gauriganga municipalities too are having disputes over Khutiya, Baluwagada and Baghgada rivers. Likewise, Janaki Rural Municipality and Lamkichuha Municipality are also fighting over who will have the authority to extract resources from Karnali and Gorange rivers.
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The local units are having disputes with other such units lying outside the district as well. Tikapur Municipality is currently having dispute with the locals units of neighboring Bardiya district over Karnali River.
Furthermore, the locals units of Kanchanpur are having clashes with Dhangadhi Sub-metropolis and Krishnapur Municipality over Mohana River.
Citing labor crunch and lack of resources, the District Coordination Committee (DCC) has appealed to the provincial government to settle the border disputes.
"We don't have enough resources and manpower. So, we have handed over the responsibility of solving these issues to the province," said Surya Bahadur Thapa, coordinator of the DCC.
However, the committee will assist the province in this regard. An investigation committee has been formed under the leadership of coordinator Thapa.
Among the nine districts of Sudurpaschim Province, Kailali is the one with the maximum number of disputes over border followed by Kanchanpur.
The provincial government has entrusted Man Singh Bista, under-secretary at the Chief Minister's Office, to solve this issue. According to Bista, 13 locals units of Tikapur are having issues related to the border. He also informed Republica that the officials have started homework to sort out the problem.
The debate between the locals units have resulted in rampant excavation. People have started extracting resources randomly from the Chure range in the name of various local units.
