PANCHKHAL: Panchkhal Valley in Kavrepalanchowk district is engulfed by brick kilns smoke and haze every morning and evening. The beauty of valley spread at 103 square kilometers area has gone due to the veil of pollutant particles.
No haze could be seen in this area during day hours apart from winter about a decade ago. But the clean sky can be seen only during rainy season.
“Haze becomes all time routine every morning and evening throughout the year,” said Bhola Nath Dhakal of Shree Rampati, Panchkhal-7. “We have to wait for rainy season to see clean sky here,” he added.
Dhakal recalled, “When Nabadurga Brick Factory was established here a decade ago, the smoke started adding woes to the environment pollution.”
The population of Panchkhal has reached to 37,997, according to municipal record, while seven brick factories have been opened.
Hanuman and Swabaineshwor brick factories along with Himalayan Multi-ply Industry are in operation at Ward No 7. Nabadurga and Upkar brick factories at Ward No 8, Palanchowk and Jaya Bhimsen at Ward 12 and Chines Brick Factory at Ward 9 have been operating.
According to Dhakal, the factories produce bricks from November to mid-June. “We are forced to face black smokes of these factories for seven months,” he said. “Cauliflower turns to black while potato plants wither before maturity period.”
The municipal authority has declared Panchkhal as agriculture city. However, the vegetables produced here is not sold in the market because of the pollutants, said Bhakta Kumari Tamang, who contested the post of deputy mayor from then CPN-UML but was defeated. “Kalimati Vegetable market returns back these vegetables. Clothes kept for drying after washing turn black,” she said.
Local Laxman Rai planted vegetables at two ropanis of land but vegetables dried due to lack of irrigation. “After brick factories started boring pipes to use water, the water sources have gone dried. Earlier, there was no problem of water here,” he said. “How can we grow vegetables?”
The traditionally operated brick factories can be replaced by the jig-jag technology to minimize fuel consumption and risk of pollution or producing hollow bricks. However, no brick kiln of Panchkhal has adopted the technology. Locals complained that they have suffered from coughing and skin problems due to the pollution.
Gopal Bahadur Danuwar, chairman of Ward No 12, said that the brick kilns affecting the people should not be operated. “We have informed the municipal authority to remove them,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Laxmi Danuwar, however, said that they cannot restrict the industries from operating. “We did not allow the industries to operate. They have been operating since long. How can we shut down them?” she wondered. “We are discussing to make them environment friendly.”
‘Save environment campaign’
The brick factories are located in the human settlements. Shwabaineshwor Brick Factory is just 50 meters away from Kitnichowk while Jayabhimsen and Bhuwaneshwori Brick Factories are just 20-30 meters away from Bhuwaneshwori Basic School. But Department of Domestic and Cottage Industry a manual for brick kilns three years ago, allowing them to operate at the distance of 2km from settlement.
After the municipal authority did not take any initiative to address the problem, the locals have launched the ‘Save environment campaign’
