Bajhang district impounds bulldozers used illegally on road projects
Bajhang DAO has instructed local units to stop using dozers without conducting a feasibility study, design estimate and ensuring quality Environmental Impact Assessment. The District Administration Office in Bajhang has taken under control four dozers that were being illegally used on the road projects of various local units. Post Photo: Basanta Pratap Singh
The District Administration Office in Bajhang has started taking control of illegally used bulldozers on road projects of various local units.
A few days ago, the DAO had announced strict action against anyone who constructs roads haphazardly in the district.
The DAO has taken under its control four dozers being used on multiple road projects at Durgathali Rural Municipality, Bithadchir Rural Municipality and Talkot Rural Municipality until Monday afternoon.
According to Chief District Officer Suresh Sunar, it is illegal to use bulldozers on road projects with an estimated cost below Rs10 million.
“We have imposed restrictions on the use of dozers on road projects initiated without any technical survey,” said Sunar, adding that the DAO had notified all of the local units to stop using dozers on the projects without conducting a feasibility study, design estimate and ensuring quality Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The local administration has also suggested the local units not to open road stretches haphazardly citing that such activities have damaged hundreds of hectares of forest lands and arable lands, and posed landslide threats to many settlements.
According to the DAO data, more than 5,000 ropanis of arable land have been destroyed and dozens of villages face landslide risk due to haphazard road constructions. The data of the Agriculture Information Centre showed that more than 250 irrigation canals have been destroyed by the road construction in the district.
On February 13, the federal government had directed local units not to use dozers on road projects below Rs10 million. Officials said that the number of road accidents in the district has increased due to substandard roads in remote areas.
According to the DPO Bajhang, 25 people have been killed and 39 others sustained serious injuries in road accidents that occurred in the district this fiscal year.
Last week, 10 people died and five others were injured when a Bolero jeep swerved off the road and fell over a cliff at Masta Rural Municipality-1.
18.12°C Kathmandu
