Crusher industries excavating river products illegally

Kathmandu : Conservation of environment has been difficult as the crusher industries continued illegal extraction of river products. The crushers and sand processing factories in Dhanusha are found avoiding tax.

Worryingly, some municipalities made contract to those who have evaded tax. It has resulted in change in natural course of rivers at Mithila Municipality. Bechan Thakur who got contract for sand processing industry on the bank of six rivers in fiscal year 2076/77 was found excavating river products without paying tax to the local government.

There is a provision that the factory owners need to submit 60 percent of the tax before getting permission for factory, but Thakur is leant to have continuing excavation without abiding by the legal provision. He has got the contract for sand processing and excavation on the banks of Ratu, Badahari, Jalad, Aurahi, Jagdha and Bahari streams.

However, the concerned municipality is silent on it. The municipality had allowed contract for excavation in the area of 6.9 million cubic meter. With this, he, as a rule, need to submit the tax of Rs 27 million before initiating industry, but has only paid Rs 22 million in tax.

Contractor Thakur has not only been delaying the payment but also filed a writ petition at High Court Janakpur, demanding exemption of duty. He made such demand, arguing that he could not conduct business due to lockdown. To this, the court has currently issued a stay order.

• Ajay Kumar Sah