August 26: A petroleum mine found in Morang has been left abandoned by the concerned authorities. Although there is a petroleum mine in the country, the government has done anything significant for the proper utilization of the mine, reports the national news agency RSS.

Nepal, which is highly dependent on foreign countries for petroleum products, has ten such mines of its own.

The government has already started exploring a petroleum mine in Dailekh since 2019 with financial and technical support from the Government of China. But the petroleum mine in Bahuni of Belbari Municipality-8 of Morang has turned into a grazing field for cattle, RSS further reported.

A building constructed for the exploration is in ruins. The raw materials brought for exploration have also been damaged.

A foreign private company in collaboration with the government had carried out exploration of the mine in Morang more than 34 years ago. However, the mine turned into a grazing field as the government could not give continuity to the exploration work, says a local Kul Bahadur Bhandari.

The foreign company had excavated the ground up to three and a half kilometers in six months. However, there has been no progress since then even after thirty four years, says another local  Yam Prasad Timilsina.

The Department of Mines and Geology had acquired land from the locals for exploring the mine. But the land has turned into a deserted field due to the negligence of the government.