Govt bans export of sand, stones

KATHMANDU, Jan 27: The Ministry for Commerce and Supplies banned the export of sand and stones from Wednesday.

Issuing a ‘very important notice’, the ministry said that the export of stones and sand from Nepal has been banned until the next notice in accordance with Clause 3 of Export and Import (Control) Act 1957.

Clause 3 of the Act authorizes the government to prohibit and control export and import of any goods by a notified order.

“Studies and analysis are being carried out by various committees and concerned authorities about the effects of the excessive mining of the natural resources and exports on the nation’s environmental balance and natural sustainability and to find out prohibitive or preventive measures,” the notice said.

“In the context, Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, Nepal Government, using the authority of the clause prohibits exports of stones and sand until another notice,” it added.

The Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means had instructed government to ban the export of natural resources to India following the environmental concerns.

It was estimated that hundreds of thousands of tons of sand and stones have been exported to India for the construction of a national highway connecting Indian capital Delhi to Guwahati in last few years. Environment exports had been expressing concerns over the damage caused by quarrying stones and sands.

 source: myrepublica.com