Illegal mining and smuggling of sand, stone and pebble has been found thriving on the bank of the Banganga river here taking advantage of the lockdown.

The Banganga Municipality’s recently confiscating a large quantity of aggregates proves that the illegal mining is taking place unabated during the lockdown. Approximately 400 tractor trailer-full of aggregates was confiscated.

A team comprising the municipality deputy-mayor Chakrapani Aryal, the administrative officer Churamani Panthi, chief of the Area Police Office Pipara, Aayush Prasad Joshi and journalists carried out a on-site inspection of the area on Friday and saw that riverbed mining has been going on. The team confiscated that quantity of aggregates on the bank of the Banganga river at Balapur of the Municipality.

Deputy mayor Aryal said the District Administration Office has been notified of the illegal aggregate mining and urged to take necessary action to check it.

Locals of Madhauliya, Banganga-5 have reported that illegal riverbed mining and smuggling of the aggregates has been taking place at night in their area since some days.