TIKAPUR: Random excavations conducted at various places have risked the development works here.
The excavation of sand, soil and stones from the places near the canal built under the Rani-Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project has depressed the embankment.
The unchecked excavation is badly affecting the embankment built along the Bargad and Basukhola streams to support the canal, said Information Officer at the project, Premala Siwa.
“The excavation has lowered the embankment,” she worried, seeking attention from the concerned sides to check the irregularity.
Such random digging has also affected the settlements nearby. As a rule, the river products can not be excavated within 500 meters of river, canal and any other infrastructures.
But, the excavations are continued near 100 meters of the Chori and Charaila streams. Such illegal mining has direct bearing on the project structures and human settlements as well, said engineer Jiban Bohara.
“It seems neither any public office bearer nor the project has paid attention to protection of the infrastructures constructed for the development,” he said, underscoring the immediate need of monitoring by the respective local level.
Information Officer Siwa argued that the local levels had allowed the contractors for such illegal excavation.
The contractors are randomly conducting the mining of river products. “The contractors were urged time and again to conduct mining as per the rule and standard, but in vain,” Siwa lamented.
She added that Lamkichuha Municipality had been written to stop illegal excavation. Even the coordinator of the District Coordination Committee, and Mayor of Lamkichuha Municipality have been made aware lately. “They only give verbal commitment but do not take concrete action to control it,” she blamed.
However, Mayor Mahadev Bajgain said they had warned the contractors repeatedly and efforts were underway to curb illegal works effectively.
“The contractors are reminded that they were violating the provisions in the EIA they submitted,” he said, adding that a people’s representative was also assigned to inspect whether there were illegal excavations. RSS
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