By Our Correspondent

Nepalgunj, Mar. 14: Illegal digging of river-based materials rises in Raptisonari Rural Municipality of Banke district.

The digging increased in places not specified in the contract. Raptisonari Rural Municipality has issued contract for digging from Bagdaulghat point A and B at Rs. 5 million with the contractors. The contract allows for 567 cubic metres of river-based materials digging.

However, locals in the district have complained that contractors are digging five kilometres away from the Bagdaulghat point A and B contrary to the contract and environmental impact assessment made between the rural municipality and the contractors.

Ward chair Madan Wali of Raptisonari-2 said that places like Kachanapur, Khoriya, Guruwa, Maduyi were at high risk due to the illegal digging. “We are facing problems now due to the illegal digging and export of river-based materials from Rapti River,” he said.

According to him, contractors were digging in places not allotted after Initial Environmental Examination (IEE). Contractors were seen busy in illegal supply of pebbles and sand. Nirmal Budhathoki, a local resident of Kachanapur, said that the flow of the river was directed towards residential areas of Kachanapur in the last few years.

“Residential areas are covered with the water of the river with the start of the monsoon each year due to the digging,” he added.District Administration Office in Banke and Police also confirmed that they were recording complaints of illegal sand and pebbles supply.

Ram Bahadur Kurumbang, the chief of the District Administration Office (DAO), said that the administration will stop illegal extraction at the earliest. “Instructions have been given to the police to stop illegal digging in the river,” he said. CDO Kurumbang also said that the areas will be at risk if the supply is not stopped immediately.