Nuwakot : Mountains glowing in the morning sun and the settlement covered by a heavy layer of fog which looks like white cotton in the sky always make me feel like jumping into it and play hide and seek. When the fog clears and the clouds roll away, the snowcapped mountain range looks royal. Anyone can be attracted by the majestic view of the mountain range. The gurgling sound of Tadi and Trishuli River brings a sense of peace. We used to feel warm in the winter season if we experience all these things together.
I wake up early in the morning, wash hands and face and freshen up and do some home works. Many of my friends wait for me outside the house to go to the school before I finish my daily morning activities. I put on my school uniform in a hurry and head towards the school with them. On our way to school, we always talk about the spectacular mountain range and the beautiful fog-covered Devighat, Pipaltar, Battar and Trishuli Bazaar. I still remember that once one of my friends had said that he wanted to jump into the heavy layer of fog which looks like white cotton and play into it.
On the way to school during winter, we see the yellow bloom of mustard plants that elate us. When the snow-capped Ganesh and Langtang Himal gradually starts to turn into the celestial gold with the rise of sun, it feels like a heaven.
The aforementioned context is the recollection of days when I was in school 10-15 years ago. My school life used to pass in that way. But the situation has completely changed now. We can see the mountains today also, but all the mountains are covered by fog with the onset of the month of December. The only difference is that one used see the mountains clean and white in the past, but the mountains are indistinct and black at present. Devighat, Pipaltar and Battar, which used to be covered by white fog, are covered by black fog at present. The majestic view, which can be seen in the early morning, is like a dream. People have to wait till afternoon to see the sun. It is even difficult for the people to identify the object.
One cannot even see the mustard plants blooming on the roadside. Houses have been constructed in the mustard fields. Wider roads have been constructed even though they are not blacktopped. The hills, which used to be green, have suffered cracks. Landslides have been occurring frequently and the people have cut down hills in many places in the name of extracting the stones. People have dug up pits in Pipaltar to extract the sand.
Handful of industries are being operated in Ratamate where there used to be only some brick kilns and black and poisonous smoke emitted from those industries are polluting the environment. Crusher factories are being operated on the bank of Trishuli River where there used to be a football ground. All the villages have been linked with roads. It is a good news that all the places have been connected with roads. Life has become easier as the country is heading on the path to development. However, many places have been facing the problem of landslides due to haphazard construction of roads. With the implementation of federalism, Jiling-7 has changed into Belkotgadhi-9. This place has witnessed many changes. Development works are being carried out. But the natural beauty is disappearing gradually. The volume of water in the river is decreasing.
Unlike in the past, people have to work hard and various types of pesticides and chemical fertilizers to grow potatoes. But still it is difficult to grow the potatoes due to fog.
This is the current context of Belkotgadhi, Nuwakot. This is just a case in point. There are many places across the country that have been facing the plight of Belkotgadhi. One can see black fog, dust and degrading environment in almost all the places at present. The sky, which once used to be clean and clear, is always covered by smoke and dust. It is very difficult to see one hill from another.
After seeing all these things, one can feel that this is the changes brought by time. Climate change and increase in the global temperature might be some reasons behind this changes. Various works being carried out in the name of development are also creating these problems. People have constructed high rise buildings in the places which used to be open ground. Industries are growing day by day. They have been emitting black and toxic smoke round the clock. The key issue is that we have not been able to pay attention towards these problems.
