Quarrying of limestone has been banned in Triveni rural municipality-1 Akhela area of the district. Dang Cement Industries Udyog Pvt Ltd took permission for limestone quarrying from Babai Rural Municipality of Dang but did not provide any information to Triveni Rural Municipality, so a team including Minister of Industries, Tourism, Forests and Environment of Karnali Province Suresh Adhikari, municipality president Khim Bahadur Rawat banned limestone quarrying in their area after monitoring.
Chairman of Triveni Rural Municipality Khim Bahadur Rawat said that when there was a complaint that Cement Industries Industry Pvt. He informed that although three decades ago, the company, which was given the responsibility by the Department of Mines and Geology, bought 55 ropani of local land in Ward No. 1, it started mining in many other forest areas within the municipality. He says that the company that was given the responsibility three decades ago has only started excavating this year.
He said that hundreds of families in Kolchaur, Syala, Akhela of Triveni Rural Municipality-1 are at risk due to limestone quarrying. After the Ministry of Mines and Geology called for a tender, Dang Cement Industries Udyog Pvt Ltd was given the responsibility of excavation, since the excavation site includes both Dang and Salyan, permission should be obtained from Triveni Rural Municipality as in Babai Rural Municipality, but it has not been coordinated even once. And so far no information has been given," he said. "The municipality cannot allow the work done without coordination, putting the settlement at risk. If the cement industry excavates limestone, then the tax should be paid for it.''
Chief Administrative Officer of Triveni Rural Municipality, Khum Bahadur KC, said that they demanded all the company's documents because they were working without permission. He informed that if it is found that excavation has gone beyond the standards, the excavation work will be stopped completely. He said that although excavation work has been done by others in Petti, the official person has not yet been contacted.
