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Kathmandu Wednesday September 27, 2000 Aswin 11, 2057.
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Stop garbage politics
This letter is in reference to the
Editorial published in TKP "Find dumping sites", on 20th of September. I really
appreciate the effort of TKP in making the public aware of the disastrous impact that
solid waste dumped along the bank of Bagmati river will have in future in public health
and natural environment. When environmental NGOs, pressure groups and politicians are
ignoring the government's blunder to dump the waste along the holy river, TKP's effort to
increase public awareness is really a praiseworthy one.
It's really sad to see how Solid Waste
Management Centre's chairman Dr Kul Prasad Marhattha and convenor of the high-level
Bagmati sewerage Management and Improvement Project Bidur Poudel have been trying to
justify the dumping of waste along the river Bagmati. In this regard, I do not only blame
the government's decision to use river bank as dumping sites but strongly doubt the
credibility of the statement from these two gentlemen that dumping waste along the
river bank is a safe act. If these two gentlemen really want to justify their statements,
it would be better on their part to suggest that the government hire international
consultants to carry out the environmental impact assessment. Why do they hesitate to
carry out the environmental impact assessment?.
Instead of garnering effort to clean the
Bagmati and restoring our cultural and social heritage, a decision like dumping waste
along the river will not only pollute the river but will severely damage the quality of
groundwater table and invite health hazards in future. Dr Marhattha's excuse for the use
of plastic sheets to check the leakage is not only ridiculous but also reveals lack of
vision and long term problem solving approach.
I would like to put forward some
queries and would appreciate it if the concerned authority provides me and other concerned
citizens of this country with answers to these queries:
(1) Dumping site is an outdated
practice. When developed countries are moving towards complete recycling, why can't we
Nepalese people crawl towards the establishment of the recycling industries? Is dumping of
waste the only solution for solid waste management?
(2) Where in the world are landfills
designed to use plastic sheets as planned by Dr Marhattha? My professors here were really
shocked to hear about such a landfill design and designated it as the greatest human
achievement of the new millennium.
(3) Where in the world is waste
dumped in the vicinity of the air ports? In case of any bird related air mishap, will
Solid Waste Management Centre bear the responsibility? It is a simple customary and basic
principle that landfills are located away from the airports.
(4) What impression will UNESCO and other
international organizations take if we start dumping the waste near by the World Heritage
Site and where else in the world is it practised?
(5) In a country like ours, where the
government is not able to provide even the basic health care facility and public has to
take care of their health themselves, will these people who are beating the drums in
favour of dumping of the waste along the river bank be ready to take the responsibility if
any health hazard is reported in future due to the pollution caused by dumping of waste
along the river bank now?
(6) Can Dr Marhattha dare to take
this sort of decision if he is designated as the chief of Solid Waste Management
Centre in any one of the developed countries?
A longer list of questions can be raised
that need to be answered if we honestly analyse this problem from the technical point of
view. This kind of decision reveals nothing other than wrong people at the right places
playing with the ignorance of the general public. It's high time civil society, NGOs and
pressure groups join hands and voice their concern against such faulty decisions which
will not only have negative impact on the present generation but will also effect the
generations to come and dampen the principle of sustainable development. We read of green
party's (Hariyali Nepal) leaders attending green seminars around the world but don't hear
them voicing their rights for "greening the capital".
Politicians must stop viewing this problem
from political point of view and work for the betterment of the city instead of trying to
gain cheap popularity. I really do appreciate the courage of Dr Renu Rajbhandari and her
decision to go to the court for "justice". The court in the meantime should not
delay justice. We Nepalese like Dr Renu must voice our rights and express our solidarity
as and when required. It will not only stop the wrong decision from being implemented but
also contribute positively towards stabilization of democracy and sustainable development.
Hari Bansha Dulal
Institute for Environmental Management
Brandenburg Technical University, Germany |
