KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has sought the government’s written explanation as to why the illegal extraction of pebbles, sand, and stones from the Sunkoshi river was not stopped.

A single bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shamsher Rana issued the order to this effect in response to a writ filed by advocates Padam Bahadur Shrestha and Chiranjivi Bhattarai on June 6 seeking a mandamus order from the SC to stop the illegal mining of pebbles, sand, and stones from the river bed.

The court has instructed the defendants – the Ministry of Forests and Environment, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, and other bodies – to reply in written within June 23.

The petitioners had earlier sought intervention for implementing the laws related to the extraction, sale, and distribution of river-based materials.

The excavation of the river-based materials on the bank of Sunkoshi river from Bahrabise bazaar to Dolalghat has obstructed the river’s natural flow, according to the writ.