‘Local reps, administration colluding in illegal mining’

Siraha, August 27

Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal has accused police and people’s representatives of being hand-in-gloves in mining river products.

Though the law of the land bans the mining of river products for three months during the monsoon season, the river mining mafia is harvesting river products such as boulders, sand and gravel from the Kamala River at night taking advantage of their nexus with the police administration and local representatives, said JSP-N leaders at a press conference in Bandipur today.

“The local youths tried to stop the illegal excavation but to no avail. As local representatives are supporting the people involved in illegal mining, the locals’ attempt to stop it has been in vain,” said JSP-N leader Jitendra Yadav, adding a youth objecting to illegal mining was beaten by the mafia in Karjanha Municipality about a week ago.

“Local youths, including Chhetralal Jit Singh, had gone to stop the mining activity that was taking place under the cover of darkness in the Kamala River, but he was beaten by the mafia in the presence of ward Chair Kapaleshwor Yadav,” the JSP-N leader said.

“The locals had detained one of the hired goons, who used to threaten them not to speak against unauthorised mining, but the ward chairperson took him away,” he said.

The injured youth, who received deep injuries on his head, is being treated at Merry City Hospital.

The party reiterated its commitment to stop illegal mining activities.

Feature image: File

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A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 28, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

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