Bajhang, Dec. 13 -- The practice of illegal extraction of sand, pebbles and stones in several rivers and rivulets of Bajhang district still continues. Locals say that the illegal mining, which that stands to threaten the fragile ecosystem of the region, continues because of the lackadaisical response of the authorities and the people's representatives to this problem.

Because of the rampant extraction of riverbed materials, large-scale infrastructure like bridges and roads are at high risk of erosion. Irrigation projects too are on the verge of closure since, with haphazard extraction, the water level in the water bodies have begun to recede. The mining has also exposed arable lands to floods, say locals.

"Around 50-60 trucks full of sa...