Gaushala Municipality in Mahottari has imposed a ban on the unauthorised extraction, collection, and transportation of riverbed materials within its jurisdiction.

Issuing a public notice, the municipality said activities involving the excavation of riverbed materials such as stone, gravel, sand, and fill soil from rivers in the area are prohibited until further notice.

Chief Administrative Officer Keshav Kumar Adhikari warned that any tipper truck, tractor, or excavator found entering rivers for such purposes will be impounded and penalised under existing laws. He also cautioned that crusher industries found engaged in illegal excavation will have their business registration revoked.

The decision follows reports of illegal excavation by crusher industries in the Maraha River. During a meeting of the heads of government offices on Wednesday, Mahottari Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Risal urged administrative officers of local units to closely monitor riverbed material extraction.

Meanwhile, local authorities have accused police of shielding illegal operators. Sumanlal Karna, chief of the District Coordination Committee, accused police of returning an impounded excavator to a crusher operator for financial gain, despite its unauthorised use in the Maraha River.

Police Inspector Uttam Singh Bhandari of the Area Police Office in Gaushala admitted the excavator was impounded during monitoring. However, he said no formal letter had been sent to the municipality for further action.

The same excavator is reportedly still in use. Authorities said the operators had dug up to 10 feet deep in parts of the Maraha River, and the illegal activity has extended into nearby forest areas.