MUSTANG: Gharapjhong Rural Municipality and local environment protection committees on Thursday began river channelization and dredging work to reduce heavy siltation threatening the Syang River Bridge.

According to local authorities, debris accumulation has raised the riverbed by about 15 meters in recent years. The rural municipality has allocated Rs 2 million to construct a 100-piece gabion wall along an 800-meter stretch of the riverbank.

Community environment committees have also earmarked Rs 100,000 for fuel to operate heavy machinery to protect 500 meters of farmland along the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Corridor.