Parbat, Dec 2: Locals have demanded for the operation of the stone quarry in Modi Rural Municipality of Parbat. The stone quarry remains closed for the past 16 years.
Earlier, the products from the quarry had high demand for roofing, laying and as slate. Due to the closure of the stone quarry, the residents of this area had to bear a huge loss.
The quarry was closed in 2064 BS after the residents of Deurali, Kang and Bhuktang claim of ownership over it. Narsingh Pun, then chair of Kang Village Development Committee, said that it was closed after people started fighting with each other over claims on the quarry.
Even though the mine was located inside community forest, the ownership was transferred to the community. The then district forest office nationalized the forest to end the dispute.
More than two dozen laborers from three villages were directly employed. The stones extracted from the quarry used to be consumed in different places of Baglung and Myagdi in Dhaulagiri region.
After the stone extraction from the quarry was stopped, the family of Bhane Bahadur BK, who was collecting stones and selling them, had to find another alternative. BK complained that he had worked in the quarry for 10 years but became unemployed after it was closed.
There are five stone quarries in an area of one kilometer. For VDC Chair Pun said that the house with stone-roof looks attractive and highly durable.
Meanwhile, chairperson of Modi Rural Municipality, Hiradevi Sharma, said that initiatives are being taken to resume operation of the stone quarry. Initially a road to the quarry will be constructed and coordination with the relevant agencies including the Division Forest Office will be carried to bring the quarry back to operation. RSS
