Locals have announced a third protest against the illegal limestone quarrying that has been going on for years in Budhagaon area of ​​Triveni Rural Municipality of Rolpa. After receiving the support of political party officials, the mining victims formed a struggle committee and started the agitation.

Rolpa Chundhunga Khani Pvt Ltd, which is mining large quantities of limestone, has not shown interest in the demands of the local residents and the rural municipality. The locals decided to protest after many discussions and meetings did not lead to a solution.

Although the protest started on the 18th of the previous month, the locals stopped the protest at the request of the former finance minister Barshman Pun. But after Pun also showed no interest, the locals started to protest again. "When the agitation started, we stopped the agitation for a while because Varshman assured that he would be present in the mining area again and solve the problem through negotiations. But if he doesn't pay attention, there is no option to protest again," said Omraj Ghartimagar, the coordinator of the Sangharsh Samiti.

The locals have been staging a protest against the mining operators in the 3rd and 4th ward of Triveni for illegally carrying out activities and not participating in negotiations. After the formation of the Sangharsh Committee, efforts have been made to solve it by involving the leaders of the political parties as well. However, the committee has complained that the mining operator has not come in contact with them despite calling them for talks several times and asking them to comply with the legal provisions. Alleging complete disregard for the demands of the committee and the legal process, the members of the Sangharsh Committee and the locals have prepared to protest by taking control of the mining area. 

Dozens of villages and houses are at risk due to illegal mining. Locals have alerted the local and central leaders as well, demanding that settlements should be raised, regular stone cutting should pay attention to the health of the locals, etc. Most of them have complained that they did not get the proper amount after allowing their land to be cut . Meetings were also held between mine operators and local residents in the past. But it is the coordinator of the struggle committee Ghartimagar who avoids one problem after another.

Even though the meeting has been held many times, the locals are more disappointed because the mine manager is not present. "We have made a plan to fight against the process of ignoring and doing illegal work without listening to us even when we draw attention to it repeatedly," said Ghartimagar. The rural municipality has been facing a case in court against illegal mining operation for a long time.  

According to the locals, the Rolpa Chundhunga quarry took permission from the ward office for the purpose of digging a road in the local Kapil Danda. But later, the work of cutting forests and extracting limestone was started continuously. According to the demand of the locals, a correspondence was also made with the Department of Mines and Geosciences for the study at the request of the rural municipality. Chairman of Triveni Rural Municipality, Karna Bahadur Bantha Magar, said that the department conducted a study in 2078 at the request of the municipality. But since then, the department has refused to study, he alleges. He says, "Now the municipality is planning to bring a geologist to conduct a study." The municipality has been struggling along with the locals as they have been cutting down trees and cutting down the forest.

From the cursory study up to 2078, a large amount of revenue has yet to be collected from illegal mining. Since then, there is no account . Locals have become more angry because the mine has not fulfilled its promise to buy local land, give compensation and even provide employment. In this process, some of the locals have been lured financially and discord has been brought about among the locals. 

Rolpa Limestone Mining Pvt. Ltd., Putlisadak Kathmandu has been mining illegal limestone affecting villages and forests in the 3rd and 4th Wards of Triveni Rural Municipality of Rolpa. Initially, the mine operator started working with the locals in the name of building a road. Karna Bahadur Bathamgar, chairman of the rural municipality, said that the excavation was started after the ward office gave permission for that work. But he says that since the work was not stopped, there was more problem.

The municipality says that more than 9 million tons of limestone have been excavated so far and crores of rupees of revenue have been cheated for that. For Ghorahi Cement located in Dang, 5/7 tipper stones are excavated and transported from there daily. Bantha, Chairman of Triveni Rural Municipality, said that since illegal limestone mining has been going on regularly for a long time, on the one hand, crores of revenue has been evaded and on the other hand, the demands of the locals have been neglected. According to him, due to the illegal extraction of limestone from the mine, the municipality has more than 50 million and the state has not received any revenue. President Bantha said that no matter how many times he requested, it was found that the mine operator was reluctant to present himself. 

The Department of Mines and Geology has already confirmed the company's illegal mining in the area. At the request of the locals, the department also conducted an on-site study in 078 . It has been found that the company has not reported the revenue to the government and the rural municipality since the mining operation. According to the department's decision and letter, it has been mentioned that the mining company should pay 50 million to the rural municipality and 700 million to the government. But that period is only 3 years ago . The department had sent Mining Engineer Subas Mahat for on-site study of illegal mining .

He submitted a report about 9 million tons of illegal mining through on-site study. But the officials of the department are ignoring the report and are doing injustice to the state by changing the facts. In this regard, the debate on the case against illegal mining in the Supreme Court continues. In a court ruling, it is clear that the company "transported and collected illegal minerals."

Even though the department has stopped digging the road, they have also dug the road against the instructions. Also, the court ruled that even the royalties owed to the government were not filed. Even though there is a legal provision to cancel the registration of Rolpa Chundhanga Khani Pvt Ltd and Shivswaroop Mining Pvt Ltd involved in illegal mining in Rolpa, the government is not serious. Kush Bahadur Pun, head of financial department of the Sangharsh Committee, which participated in the movement since the beginning, said that if the people's demand is not heard, the result may be bad and the government should support positive initiatives.