Environment
Flowing down into Myagdi from the trans-Himalayan region of Mustang - which is famous for Muktinath, Damodar Kunda and Kagbeni and other pilgrimages - Kaligandaki is one of Nepal’s holiest rivers.
With uncontrolled and unplanned urbanisation along its banks, particularly in lower Mustang, Beni, Parbat and Baglung, concerns over river banks’ encroachment have grown in recent years.
But if a new campaign moves ahead all right, things could just change.
The district coordination committees (DCCs) of Baglung, Parbat, Myagdi and Mustang districts in Dhaulagiri region have stepped up a collective campaign to check rampant encroachment of the banks of the Kaligandaki River.
In order to implement the apex court interim order to prevent illegal extraction of pebbles, sands and boulders from the river, the district coordination committees have charted out a shared plan to this effect.
Supreme Court's order
The Supreme Court came up with the interim order acting on a writ petition demanding halt in the implementation of Kaligandaki River Diversion Project.
The apex court ordered the district coordination committees not to allow continuation of any activities in the river. The district coordination committees took the initiative to implement the apex court order naming 40 institutions including the committees and local levels as defendants.
A joint meeting hosted by the Baglung district coordination committee decided to put collective efforts to check unlawful extraction and sale of river-based materials of Kaligandaki.
"It was impossible to stop encroachment propping up in the Kaligandaki River alone. So, we are mooting to place joint efforts to that end", said DCC Parbat Chair Bishnuram BK.
In the meeting, DCC Baglung Chair Amar Bahadur Thapa said: "It is our responsibility to preserve and utilise the river-based products. We are committed to regulate extraction of river materials in such a way as to make sure it would not affect the natural structure and status of the river".
Several constraints including legal mandate have surfaced in booking those involved in Kaligandaki encroachment, he said, adding that the DCC’s role is limited to carry out monitoring functions which limits the mechanism to check illegal extraction of river products.
The meeting has decided to request the Gandaki Province to swiftly introduce law in this regard. The joint meeting also decided to draw attention of the authorities concerned for the construction of embankment to protect vulnerable populations residing nearby the Kaligandaki Watershed Area in Manang and Mustang.
(With RSS inputs)
