"Illegal crusher industry operating in Rameshwornath Community Forest in spite of ban", 12 February 2020

Residents of Ramnagar Birta in Mahottari met Minister for Internal Affairs and Law in Province 2 Gyanendra Yadav...and demanded the closure of illegal crusher industries that are in operation at the Rameshwornath Community Forest area and its vicinity.

The provincial government had directed all crusher industries across the eight districts of Province 2 to close down following the death of Dilip Mahato, a 24-year-old man of Dhanusha who had been protesting the illegal mining of riverbed materials... However, despite the directive, illegal mining is still ongoing in the stealth of the night, say locals.

According to them, more than nine crusher industries in Ramnagar Birta of Bhangaha Municipality Ward No. 4 operate at night.

The community forest falls under the President Chure-Tarai Madhesh Conservation and Development Project. Santosh Mahato, a local, said the locals have submitted a memorandum to the minister stating that the crushers have devastated the forestland and fertile farmlands nearby...

...Likewise, haphazard excavation of riverbed materials is still ongoing on the banks of Ratu river despite a ban imposed by the District Monitoring Committee in Dhanusha...