Complaint Filed with Anti-Corruption Commission Against Illegal Mining in Mahakali; Investigation Underway
A complaint has been lodged with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority regarding illegal mining activities along the banks of the Mahakali River, prompting the initiation of legal proceedings. Pancheshwar Rural Municipality has confirmed that no construction company was authorized to conduct mining, and an illegal crusher operation has been discovered. The District Administration Office and the Coordination Committee are monitoring the situation closely and preparing to take necessary legal action. 10 Jestha, Baitadi.
The illegal mining activities along the Mahakali River at the Nepal-India border have raised concerns following the complaint submitted to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. Rajmani Niraula, Assistant Chief District Officer of Baitadi, confirmed the receipt of the complaint and assured that legal procedures are underway. He stated, “A complaint has been filed with the Commission, and mining has now been halted. Necessary actions will be taken.”
Following the complaint, the District Administration Office has formally communicated with Pancheshwar Rural Municipality to provide accurate information. Vir Singh Bhandari, Chief Administrative Officer of the Municipality, confirmed receipt of the Commission’s letter and said the necessary measures are being implemented. He added, “Monitoring has been conducted by teams from the Chief District Officer and the District Coordination Committee. Legal processes will proceed.” Bhandari also confirmed that the municipality did not grant permission to any construction company for mining and verified that the company was conducting unauthorized extraction.
Since Magh last year, the joint venture Kankai Kumar KS JV had been conducting mining activities at Jungle Tada, Ward No. 4 of Pancheshwar Rural Municipality. The company secured a contract for the Melouli-Pancheshwar road upgrade through the Physical Infrastructure Development Office in Baitadi. The company had been operating a crusher along the Mahakali riverbank, extracting stones, gravel, and sand. According to the Crusher Standards 2077, crushers can only operate after an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been completed for an area at least one kilometer away. However, the company proceeded with mining and crusher operations illegally along the riverbank without completing these procedures.
There is a legal provision for a committee led by the Chief Coordinator of the District Coordination Committee to control illegal mining. In response to public disputes, the District Administration Office and the Coordination Committee have expressed heightened concern. The committee, including Baitadi Chief Khagendra Singh Dhami and Office Chief Raghunath Awasthi, visited the municipality to discuss the matter with local representatives. However, the discussions have yet to produce definitive decisions regarding legal action.
