National
Garbage litters highway forest in Nawalparasi
The forest along the East-West Highway between Gaidakot and Sunwal Bazaar in Nawalparasi is littered with garbage from nearby towns and settlements.Nabin Paudel
The forest along the East-West Highway between Gaidakot and Sunwal Bazaar in Nawalparasi is littered with garbage from nearby towns and settlements.
People at Gaidakot, Devchuli, Kawasoti, Chormara, Arunkhola and Dumkibas have long been dumping their household garbage on the side of forested highway, disregarding the impact of their action to the environment. Their excuse is that the authorities concerned have created dumping sites.
Phanindra Sharma, of Hanuman Dharmik Community Forest Users’ Committee, said they have repeatedly urged the Gaidakot Municipality Office to pick up the garbage from the forest, but to no avail.
“Environmental pollution is a major problem that we have been facing. But the local authorities are not listening to our concern,” he said.
There are seven municipalities in Nawalparasi, and none of them have a sustainable and eco-friendly waste management plan. So the wastes produced by people invariably get disposed of at places where there is no civilisation for miles.
Shree Krishna Nepal, executive officer of Gaidakot Municipality, said they were unloading garbage at the highway forest for the time being. “We are looking for a suitable location for a municipal dumping site. As for now, we have no other place to consign the municipal wastes in a manageable way,” he said.
Devchuli Municipality, Kawasoti Municipality, Madhyabindhu Municipality, Bardaghat Municipality and Sunawal Municipality are also disposing of their garbage, rather conveniently, in forests and highway sides.
District Forest Officer Bijayaraj Subedi said throwing garbage in forests was equivalent to encroachment, harmful to vegetation as well as wildlife.
“The District Forest Office will initiate stern action against those found guilty of dumping refuge in forests,” he said.