Illegal Sand Mining Plagues Bagmati River Amid Border Dispute

Sarlahi. A serious situation of indiscriminate extraction of riverbed materials has been exposed along various ghats of the Bagmati River, which flows along the Sarlahi-Rautahat border. Uncontrolled mining has been observed from Sahnitol Ghat in Barahathwa Municipality-1, Sarlahi, to Haraiya Ghat in the Gadhimai and Brindaban municipalities of Rautahat.

Machinery Hidden in Cornfields During Inspection

On Sunday morning, a team including Member of the House of Representatives Narendra Sah Kalwar and Chief District Officer Ramuraj Kadariya arrived for an inspection. As the team approached, over a dozen tippers, JCBs, and excavators involved in the extraction abandoned their work and fled toward Rautahat. Some machines were found hidden in cornfields near the market ghat, indicating that the illegal mining is being carried out systematically.

Contract Imbalance and Administrative Weakness

The municipalities of Gadhimai and Brindaban in Rautahat have already awarded contracts for extraction in the area. However, attempts by Barahathwa Municipality in Sarlahi to award a contract for Malahatol Ghat have repeatedly failed. According to Chief Administrative Officer Riddhiprakash Sitaula, no parties came forward to bid for the contract despite notices being issued this year. While Barahathwa has legally awarded a contract only for the Bagmati Bazaar Ghat, unauthorized extraction is occurring in the nearby Malahatol area.

Exploitation Under the Guise of Border Disputes

The most complex issue in this region is the border dispute between the two districts. Since Malahatol and Haraiya Ghat fall within the disputed border area of Sarlahi and Rautahat, surveillance has remained weak. Taking advantage of this, groups from Rautahat are extracting materials right up to the embankments on the Sarlahi side. Local representatives state that the lack of clear demarcation makes enforcement difficult.

Environmental Risks and Local Concerns

Excessive extraction is destroying the natural state of the Bagmati River. Deep pits have formed in various locations, putting pressure on embankments and increasing the risk of flooding during the monsoon season. Local residents report that this is also affecting arable land and have demanded immediate control measures. Following the inspection, Sarlahi Chief District Officer Kadariya stated that efforts are being made to stop the extraction in coordination with Rautahat Chief District Officer Dinesh Sagar Bhusal. Bhusal noted that preparations are underway for a joint discussion involving representatives, security agencies, and stakeholders from both districts to resolve the border dispute and control illegal mining.

Local Grievance: Lack of Regular Monitoring

However, locals argue that such meetings and decisions are not effectively implemented, causing the problem to worsen. They complain that the lack of regular monitoring, weak enforcement of standards, and poor coordination between local levels have led to daily, unchecked exploitation of the Bagmati River. If strict measures are not taken in time, the condition of the Bagmati River will become dire, causing long-term, serious impacts on the environment and public life.