Just a few kilometres from Kathmandu, the district of Kavrepalanchowk is mourning more than 60 lives lost in last week’s deadly floods and landslides. A lot of human and physical damage has been done by the flooded Roshi River in Panauti, Roshi, Bethanchowk and Temal rural municipalities, with most houses reportedly swept away by the river. More than 700 families have been stranded as a result.

This tragedy, however, wasn’t solely due to the downpour. The illegal quarrying and crusher industries rampant in the place are primarily behind the heavy destruction. In ward 12 of Panauti, there are half a dozen stone quarries in operation, with locals reporting that the operators would route the debris coming out of the mine into the river, which in turn obstructed its flow. The river overflowed and then entered human settlements to create chaos.

For years, the locals, as per a Kantipur report, have cried out against the illegal quarrying and crushing in the area, foreseeing impending disasters. But authorities at all levels of government ignored their pleas. Tellingly, these industries, which are to be found all over the country, have in most cases the backing of local authorities and political leaders. Concerns about these activities intensified after the 2017 local elections, as the crusher industry owners were found supporting local representatives. A 2018 Centre for Investigative Journalism Nepal report revealed that even those tasked with monitoring such activities were involved in illegal excavations. Additionally, quarry works continue even after the completion of development projects as surveillance is either minimal or non-existent.

As such, Kavrepalanchowk isn’t the only district facing human-induced disasters. Just a few months ago, residents in Kalakhola area of Baglung district had expressed their concern over illegal mining in the Kaligandaki River and its potential to destroy their nearby settlement. People in the Chure region have advocated against the mining mafia for decades as the activity has depleted the first layer of underground water and made land fragile. How much more should communities suffer before the state starts taking this thing seriously!

The federal, provincial and local governments should be mindful that their negligence has wiped out thousands of precious lives and pushed the environment beyond repair. Moreover, the country’s development initiatives, including the promotion of the lucrative cement industry, cannot come at the cost of human life and environment. As non-renewable resources, sand and riverbed materials take thousands to millions of years to form. Extracting them haphazardly for one-time gain imperils the survival of existing and future generations.

According to the Kavrepalanchowk locals, the Roshi River was not so destructive before. With timely intervention, the extent of damages could have been minimised this time as well. The authorities should stop blaming nature, undertake a serious investigation of the anthropological role in such disasters, and try to mitigate the risks head-on. As important is checking if local levels are complicit in supporting the mining industries. The licensed contractors and miners should be mandated to follow the mining standards, and those who fail to comply must be severely punished. Only by putting a lid on these activities can the gravity of water-borne disasters across the country be mitigated. The picture of devastation in Kavrepalanchowk should haunt us all into taking immediate action to stop the continued desecration of nature.