BIRATNAGAR, July 7 -- Following criticism from various quarters, the District Coordination Committee (DCC) in Morang is finally preparing to impose a ban over haphazard extraction of sand and pebble from three streams.

The committee is planning to ban the mining of sand, pebbles and boulders from Mawa stream on the border between Morang and Jhapa, Chisang stream in Letang Municipality and Gachhiya stream in Sundarharaicha Municipality from the upcoming fiscal year.

Naresh Pokharel, the committee chief, said they decided to protect the streams as they had been exploited for years.

According to him, the committee is planning to impose restrictions on mining sand and pebbles for a year.

The local people have long been demanding a stop to...