KATHMANDU: Waste pollution is alarmingly rising in the urban areas including Kathmandu Valley every now and then. Air pollution has crossed its limitation. Ordinary people are irked with the authorities for not doing anything effectively to curb the pollution. In the recent years, the pollution in Kathmandu Valley has badly affected the human health. Though the campaigns were launched frequently to control the pollution, they were completely ineffective.
The edited excerpts of interview with Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet by Prakash Bhandari for Sagarmatha Radio and Hakahaki on different issues of environment are as following:
Pollution level in Kathmandu is increasing day by day. What are your plans to control it?
Yes, pollution is on the rise. We have to work properly by identifying the problems. The problem of waste manage is also similar. In a bid to solve the problem, we have started Clean Environment Campaign from June 5 by realizing a common coordination.
We talk about sustainable development but no one has worked to tackle dust pollution because of the road construction. Why are not they punished?
We have to move ahead with positive attitude instead of negative one. Campain is an awareness tool too. It’s important also for implementing the legal standards.
Is plastic being completely banned?
The plastic bags thicker than 30 microns will be resued. The awareness campaigns will be organized to restrict plastic bags thinner than 30 microns. It’s matter of implementing the standards. It needs to implement the existing laws and rules.
The directive to ban plastic bags was formulated seven years ago. It’s not necessary to evaluate the past as what was done or not but we have to move ahead by making the past as a reference. The context of past and present is different. In the past, the government used to be changed in six or nine months. At that time, the priority was given to promulgate constitution. However, the present government has given priority on development and prosperity. We should not suspect now about whether the works will be done or not.
How will you manage the plastic bag producers and industries?
The law does not speak about shuting down the plastic bag industries. Then, we will deal about reuse packages. No one has rights to pollute environment. They should abide by state laws. Now we will enforce existing laws. If it needs, we will amend them or formulate new ones. I don’t like to docus on any title now. All issues are enlisted in work plans and they will be executed.
Why is environment tax spent on other areas?
The Ministry of Finance has frequently asked us for preparing programs. This campaign has also encompassed to some extent. Now, the amount collected from environment tax will be spent on its conservation.
How do you regulate brick industries?
The clean environment campaign has not talked about only plastic bags but also about waste generating sources. It includes causes of air pollution, its regulation, solid waste and greenery promotion.
How is sewerage managed in Kathmandu?
Not a single body can manage sewerage. We are attempting for coordination with all bodies. We are focusing on all kinds of wastes. We are trying to treat waste at its sources.
We are searching for alternatives for settlements, homes and scientific management methods. There several issues related to different stakeholders. So we are working with different stakeholders.
Perhaps we need to protect natural phenomena for clean environment. At this time, natural resources are openly exploited. Local bodies also have failed to stop such exploitation of mines, stones, sand and other river products. Mega campaign means working in all sectors. So we will do in all sectors.
When has the campaign targeted to make Kathmandu valley environment be clean?
It’s not the work of a day. It’s the regular process. The campaign has targeted workplan of a year. We will work changing behavior of people in a year. We will aslo follow laws and rules. New methodology of management will be developed. New methods of control will be adopted. Certainly, we will deliver concrete results in a year. After a year, we will develop new plans.
The campaign has targeted to build public toilets in every cross-sections of municipalities. Can it be possible?
We are coordinating with local bodies for it. The objective of mega campaign is to construct public toilets at every cross roads. We will build public toilets at any cost.
