Kavrepalanchok, July 24 -- Nine months after last year's devastating monsoon-induced disasters, residents of Chalal Ganeshsthan in ward 4 of Bethanchok Rural Municipality remain gripped by fear. With the onset of the rainy season, they now face a dual threat-not only from natural disasters but also from unchecked mining activities near their settlements.

On July 10, a dry landslide struck the Ganeshsthan Mineral Plant site, intensifying anxiety among locals still recovering from last year's destruction. Unlike natural landslides, this one was human-induced, caused by improper excavation practices. Locals report that operators are cutting into the hillsides from below rather than digging from the top down, a method known to trigger slope ...