Respective District Administration Offices across the country have started closing down the crusher industries being operated illegally across the country following the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
On January 4, the ministry had directed all 77 district administration offices to close crusher industries operating illegally in the areas under their jurisdiction.
According to our correspondents from Tanahun, Nepalgunj, Dhading and Dolakha districts, the DAOs have already closed several crusher industries operating illegally in those districts. .
Shantiraman Wagle, chief of Tanahun District Coordination Committee informed that 20 illegally operated crusher industries which did not meet the standards related to stone, gravel, sand excavation, sale and management, 2077 were shut down in the district. He added that they were also in search of the crusher industries operating in the district even without registration.
Similarly, all crusher industries in Banke had also been closed. Surya Bahadur Khatri, Chief District Officer, informed that there were 22 crusher industries in the district. Of these, five were already closed and other 17 operating industries were closed recently after they were found deficient in standards.
Meanwhile, Banke Business Association chief Hom Bahadur Chettri said, “Since the government had categorised all the industries of the district as illegally operated, soon an investigation should be carried out to certify the industries and bring them back to operation.”
Similarly, crusher industrialist Hemanta Budhathoki said that the industries which had missed the renewal should be given a chance to renew. He added that they were in problem since the government had made decision on their own without consulting on the problems of the industrialists.
Dhading district administration office has also completely banned the operation of the crusher industries and sand mines which were operating illegally against the standards.
With the Ministry of Home Affairs directing administration to close the crusher industries that are operating illegally across the country and to investigate whether the registration process has been completed, 171 crushers and sand washing mills operating in Dhading have been closed since Sunday.
After the formation of the local government in 2017, illegal mining in Dhading had increased significantly.
The Chief District Officer (CDO) of Dhading Krishna Prasad Lamsal informed the District Administration Office of the district had directed all stone, gravel and sand industries and mines after the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered immediate closure of natural resource extraction and illegal export.
CDO Lamsal said he had instructed to investigate whether such industries and mines operating in the district met the standards and whether they have been registered. For some time, when the crusher industry registration was suspended, they registered under the name of sand processing but started doing all the work of mining.
It is said that the Home Ministry started such a campaign after tax evasion was suspected even in the import of natural resources and indiscriminate mining had started harming the environment.
Crusher and mining industries should operate only after obtaining approval from the Department of Geology and registering them at the local level. There is a legal requirement that there is at least 20 ropanis of land for the operation of the industry. But crushers have been operating illegally in the district without fulfilling any legal recognition.
On the other hand, crusher industries that are operating below the standards cannot be established within 500 metres from the highways, including river banks, bridges, places of public importance and high-tension wires.
Similarly, they can operate only two kilometres away from educational institutions, security agencies and other areas.
As the country moved to a federal structure, the locals complained that more problems had arisen since the province and local levels were given the responsibility of extraction and management of natural resources.
Due to the lack of a uniform policy, law and rules for the mobilization of natural resources among the three levels of government, the scope of such illegal activities has increased.
Likewise, Dolakha District Coordination Committee chief Barjuram Ghatani informed that they were also inspecting crusher industries in the district on the basis of the directives of the ministry. There are 12 crusher industries in Dolakha and all of them were closed as they were found operating against the standards.
Source : TRN,
