Palpa Division Forest Office Halts Limestone Extraction and Transport from July 17 Until Further Notice

The Division Forest Office of Palpa has issued a directive to halt all limestone extraction and transportation activities across the district starting from Shrawan 1 (July 17), until further notice.

According to the office, the decision was made considering the potential damage to major and feeder roads, as well as risks of road accidents during the monsoon season caused by continued mining and transportation activities from limestone quarries.

Narayan Dev Bhattarai, Chief of the Division Forest Office, stated that mining companies are obligated to suspend operations during certain periods as per their approved mining schemes by the Department of Mines and Geological Survey and their agreements with the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation.

“Despite the monsoon’s impacts, some limestone mining industries have been continuing excavation and transport operations. Therefore, we had to issue a directive,” Bhattarai said, adding that the decision also took into account public complaints from locals living near mining and transportation routes.

This decision was made in accordance with Chapter 15, Rule 118 (4) of the Forest Regulation 2079, following a meeting of the District Forest Security Committee.

Monsoon Damage and Road Risks Prompt Ban

The Forest Office said the movement of heavy equipment and trucks in limestone mining areas during the rainy season damages roads, which also serve as vital transport links for local communities.

The ban applies to all mining industries in Palpa District from July 17, 2025 (Shrawan 1, 2082 BS) until further notice. Official letters have already been sent to all local municipalities where mining operations are located.

“We’ve circulated notices informing all concerned parties of the District Forest Security Committee’s decision to fully ban limestone excavation and transport starting Shrawan 1,” Bhattarai confirmed.

Mining Operators Defend Activities

Mining industries are generally allowed to operate for 270 to 300 days annually under permits issued by the Department of Mines and Geology.

Ashok Thakur, a representative of Shree Cement (Sarbatam Cement), confirmed that operations at their Kachal limestone quarry have already been halted, while extraction at Siddheshwar in Rainadevi Chhahara continues but is suspended during heavy rainfall.

Bharat Thapa, operator of the Kanchan Quarry, stated that their operations are ongoing since rainfall has been manageable so far. However, he assured that they will stop activities during severe weather.

Previously, before Nepal adopted federalism, quarry operations would be suspended from Asar 1 (mid-June) under the directive of the former District Development Committees (DDCs). Local monitoring teams strictly enforced such bans, prohibiting tippers and tractors from operating in the rainy season.

However, since 2017 (after federalism), these restrictions have been poorly enforced, and heavy vehicles continue to transport materials even during monsoon.

Weak Enforcement and Road Damage Worsen

District Coordination Committee Chief Tankanath Khanal stated that local governments are now responsible for such decisions. Palpa’s Chief District Officer Toya Narayan Subedi said he was unaware of the specific directive but mentioned that overweight trucks will be penalized if found violating rules.

Previously, authorities would ban tractor operations on rural roads and tipper operations on highways from mid-June to mid-September, but these measures have largely become ineffective.

Local governments have banned tractors on unpaved roads for safety reasons, but heavily overloaded tippers continue to operate freely on highways, transporting limestone and other construction materials.

Locals, such as Chandra Bahadur Khatri, reported that roads recently repaired just a month ago are already filled with potholes due to overloaded trucks exceeding their capacity.

“How can roads remain intact when 10-ton trucks are loaded with 20 tons and 20-ton trucks with 35 tons?” Khatri asked. “Overloading, speeding, and hard braking have destroyed the roads. The question remains—who will enforce the rules?”

On the Palpa–Butwal section of the Siddhartha Highway, several bridges and culverts have been damaged. Locals reported that blacktop layers have been stripped off and roads have collapsed in several areas.

Krishna Bahadur Khatri, a resident of Tansen, said roadside drainage systems have been damaged by overloaded trucks transporting limestone, coal, and clinker.

“Roads from Harthok to the municipalities have been destroyed,” he said. “Stretches repaired just recently from the quarries to Butwal are now in ruins.”

Major Limestone Operators in Palpa

Key companies engaged in limestone extraction and transport in Palpa include:

• Dolomite Industry in Tinau
• Alpha Cements Pvt. Ltd.
• Siddhartha Minerals Pvt. Ltd.
• Shree Cement Pvt. Ltd. (Sarbatam Cement)
• Kanchan Quarries Pvt. Ltd.
• Satyawati Limestone Extraction Pvt. Ltd.
• Palpa Cement Pvt. Ltd. in Mathagadhi
• BS Cement
• Honsi Cement Pvt. Ltd. in Nisdi
• Shree Cement Pvt. Ltd. (Sarbatam) in Rainadevi Chhahara
• CG Cements in Somadi and Siddheshwar

While some companies have installed weighing bridges (Dharamkanta) to monitor loading, many still operate without them. Traffic police reported that strict monitoring at checkpoints has somewhat reduced overloading after trucks were forced to offload excess weight.