KATHMANDU, Nov 29: A writ petition has been lodged at the Supreme Court (SC) against a Chinese company for unauthorized excavation of rivers in Madhesh Province.
The petition accuses Lahan Municipality and China Railway No 2 Engineering Group Co Ltd of illegally extracting stones, gravel, and sand from protected forests and rivers for the expansion of the East-West Highway's four-lane road from Kamala in Dhanusha to Kanchanrup in Saptari.
Excavation work of Myagdi Khola hydropower tunnel begins
The SC has prioritized the case, scheduling the next hearing for December 1.
The petition demands an interim order under Rule 49 of the Supreme Court Rules (2074 BS) to halt these activities immediately. It highlights violations of the Environmental Protection Act (2076 BS), Provincial Forest Act (2077 BS), and related regulations, emphasizing the environmental damage caused by these actions.
Additionally, the petition seeks to annul the environmental assessments conducted by Lahan Municipality, arguing they were conducted in breach of the legal provisions under the Environmental Protection Act and other relevant regulations.
