Illegal extraction of riverbed materials is going on unchecked in Madibas and Lamakhola areas in wards 2 and 4 of Chaudandigadhi Municipality in Udayapur district. Local residents and civil society groups allege that this unauthorised activity is being carried out under the protection of the municipality and political parties, thereby putting over 70 households at risk of flooding and environmental degradation.

The extraction began after the Chaudandigadhi municipal executive, without conducting a mandatory Initial Environmental Examination (IEE), awarded Sange Chhoyling Construction Pvt Ltd to extract riverbed materials. Massive quantities of gravel and sand are being removed from forest zones and riverbanks, including Madibas, Lamakhola and Karamjekhola. These areas have now become highly vulnerable to landslides and floods, especially with the upcoming monsoon season.

The excavation is reportedly supplying over 100,000 cubic meters of gravel to a Chinese company involved in the construction of the East-West Highway. This quantity far exceeds what was initially contracted for the current fiscal year of 2024-25. According to locals, on the very day the municipality granted permission, on April 19, the company deployed two excavators to start extracting riverbed materials at Barpani in ward 4 of Chaudandigadhi. Gravel extraction began on private registered land, but soon extended illegally into forest and public lands.

According to Pushparaj Subedi, a local resident, despite regulations limiting excavation depth to 90 centimeters, the site has been dug up to five feet deep using heavy excavators in violation of multiple laws. Municipal guidelines issued in 2020 and their amendments in 2021 and 2022, along with national environmental and Chure conservation policies, have all been ignored, according to local villagers.

Subedi and others also claim that municipal police have been deployed to assist with the illegal operations instead of enforcing the law. They have accused the municipality of turning a blind eye to both legal procedures and environmental standards, driven by the prospect of increased internal revenue.

Local concerns are not just limited to environmental damage. On Friday, when journalists attempted to report on the ongoing extraction, they were reportedly threatened by representatives of the contractor, who claimed municipal authorisation and warned them against filming or photographing the site. Residents estimate that over 14,400 cubic meters of gravel has already been transported to Siraha district in 10-wheeled trucks, each carrying around 12 cubic meters per trip.

Due to the unauthorised and unmanaged excavation, locals fear severe consequences: drying up of drinking water sources, disruption of irrigation canals, and increased flood risk during the monsoon. In response, formal complaints have been submitted to ward offices and the municipality. They also submitted a memorandum at the district administration office on Friday, urging it to stop the illegal extraction immediately.

Chief District Officer (CDO) Prem Prasad Luitel, upon receiving the complaints, ordered an immediate halt to all extraction activities in the area. He also demanded documents of the legal procedures from Prakash Ban, head of the municipality’s revenue department. When the department failed to provide valid documents, CDO Luitel confirmed that extraction must stop and the legal basis for such activities must be investigated.

Locals are demanding a full halt to excavation on public land claimed to be private, legal action against those involved, protection of their right to freely express concerns, and an end to threats from contractors. In response, an investigation committee has been formed under the coordination of District Coordination Committee Chair Gaurabahadur Bishwakarma.

Despite the seriousness of the issue, Chaudandigadhi Mayor Kaluman Lama has declined to comment.