Delay in starting work related to the collection of riverbed materials from Nandhaur river in Haldwani and Dabka river in Ramnagar has come as a disappointing experience for thousands of traders associated with the said work this Diwali festival.
Whereas work related to the collection of riverbed materials from Gola river in Haldwani had been started from Saturday last partially, one day ahead of the Diwali celebrations, uncertainty continues to loom large over opening of the Nandhaur river despite issuance of work order.
Generally the collection of riverbed materials from different rivers commences from October.
However, despite issuance of work order as the officials concerned of the State forest department informed, the work related to collection of riverbed materials is yet to be started from Nandhaur river in Haldwani.
In the meanwhile, there is huge disappointment among the traders associated with the collection of the riverbed material for delaying commercial use of the Nandhaur river.
“As we are aware, the collection of the riverbed materials start here from October. But this year, despite clearance granted by the Central Government for 10 years last year, the work has not yet been started here,” said Nagesh, a trader associated with the collection of the riverbed materials.
“As a majority of people are dependent on the collection of riverbed materials for livelihood, we demand from the State Government that there should not be unnecessary delay in opening of the said rivers for collection of the riverbed materials,” he added.
The interesting fact is that besides providing a livelihood option for thousands of people here, the collection of riverbed materials is also a source of revenue for the Government.
However, as officials concerned of the State forest department said, the collection of riverbed materials will be opened in Nandhaur river soon.
State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani Indira Haridayesh, while inaugurating the extraction of the riverbed materials from the Gola river on November 2, had also hinted at early opening of the Nandhaur river for collection of the riverbed materials. It is to be seen how long it takes now to start the same work.
However, the State Finance Minister had admitted that the work related to the collection of the riverbed materials could have been started from October, but delay in opening of the rivers for commercial exploitation has definitely caused financial loss to the traders.
But uncertainty continues over opening of the Dabka river for collection of the riverbed materials as the National Board of Wildlife (NBW) has directed the State forest department to study the impact of collection of riverbed materials from the Dabka river on
wildlife, describing this river belt in Ramnagar as a critical tiger habitat.
The NBW is of the view that exploitation of riverbed materials from this 'critical tiger habitat, may adversely affect wildlife in this tiger populated area, said the officials concerned of the State forest department.
In the light of the NBW's directions, a committee has been constituted by the State forest department to study what would be impact of the collection of the riverbed materials from the Dabka river belt on wildlife, officials concerned said.
Now, allowing permission to extract riverbed materials from the Dabka river belt is subject to the findings of this committee, officials of the State forest department said.