Polluting industries choke the ecosystem of a Nepal village
A VILLAGE in southeast Nepal -
Bansbari - is under threat from industrialisation. Largely populated by traditional farming families of Tahrus and
Rajbansis, the area is infested with heavy
metals, poisonous chemicals and sludge.
Villagers say their pleas for a safer environment have fallen on deaf ears.
"We lodged a complaint with the
chief district officer; he visited the area
but did nothing in return," said
Baduclev Adhikari, a retired civil servant
whose six-member family depends on
the yield from his field.
The most hazardous industries of
the area are Himalaya Soap and
Chemicals, Nepal Beverage and Good
Products and Nepal Liquors owned by
Brook Bank India, Everest Iron
Industry, Pashupati Iron Industry,
Hulash Wire Industry, Everest Flour
mills and the Nepal Electricity Authority
(NEA) owned Mult,ifuel Power Plant
(,sipp) installed with Finnish grants.
Said Adhikari, "The commonest
problem among the villagers living close
to the industry is burning sensation in
eyes and throat irritation." Convinced
that the government has turned a
Nelson's eye to the problems, he says,
"in summer when the canals and fields
are flooded with water, you can see oil
floating far and wide."
"The diesel sludge, chemicals and
poisonous substances released by the
mpp, Hulash Wire and other industries
spreads all over the area destroying the
rice fields on which our life depends,"
said 70-year old Ghuran Chaudhary
who knits fishnets during summer.
However, there are hardly any fish to
catch, the locals complain.
"I have treated cattle with swollen
stomach and other problems for the last
two years," said Krishna Kafic at the veterinary treatment sub-centre at
Tankisinwari. "They died by drinking
poisonous water or by eating slow poison through the greens," he confirms.
"The mpp does have bad environmental impact on the surroundings,"
admitted Jukka Uosukainen, environmental adviser to the Finnish
International Development Agency. "I
did the environmental impact of the
plant on the area a year ago and found
out that it causes serious noise pollution," said Uosukainen.
"There is risk of atmospheric pollution as the plant emits a lot Of nitrogen
gases and also there is problem of oil
flowing into the fields. However, the galvanising industry in the area also causes
serious problem and the government
must pay attention to that as well," he
said. Since the sludge is said to have high
calorific value, it is sold in two truckfulls
every month to a focal contractor.
Ridiculing NEA's competence, locals say
they won't be surprised if NEA paid the
contractor to have the sludge dumped
elsewhere.
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