This is the investigative report about illegal extraction of sand and aggregates from rivers in my home district Nawalparasi. This 2017 report is very close to my heart because I took great risks to uncover the criminal nexus between sand mining industry and local politicians, who have profited from illegal extraction of river-bed resources. It is an extremely important issue in Nepal as the country continues to suffer from disasters like flooding and erosion, which have been induced due to illegal river-bed extractions. After the report was published in Nepal’s mainstream broadsheet, it contributed to the public discourse and put pressure on the local administration to take measure to take action against such extractions. I received personal threats over phone from unidentified number, which forced me to temporarily leave my hometown in Nawalparasi. I also received Barbara Adams Foundation Investigative Journalism Award for this report.
-Kalpana Bhattarai, Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal
Back in 2073 Shrawan, then federal affairs and local development minister, Hit Raj Pandey was in a dilemma as who should he appoint as the local development officer (LDO) of Nawalparasi. In fact, he had precisely been recommended names from various sources, including his relatives, and party leaders and cadres. “While some tried to tempt monetarily, some tried to influence politically,” Pandey said while revealing the inside story. “The beguiling river resources of Nawalparasi district has been the genuine reason to get transferred to the district,” he reveals.
