KATHMANDU
Two government bodies—Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DoFTQC) are passing the bucks for disclosing the names of drinking water companies and industries that supplied unhygienic drinking water to people.
A report published by NAST a few days ago showed 74 percent of jar water sold in Kathmandu is contaminated with unhygienic components and elements. The NAST tests found E-coli bacteria, also found in human excreta, in the drinking water jars sold in the Valley.
However, NAST says the names of the companies with details of contamination cannot be published publicly. Prof Dr Jiba Raj Pokharel, Vice Chancellor of NAST, said their duty is to research, test and inform the result to the concerned authorities. “We did what we were supposed to do. Now it is the responsibility of the concerned authorities to make public the results,” he added.
NAST has already submitted the details of drinking water industries and results of contaminated water to DoFTQC, according to VC Pokharel. “The department should make it public and take necessary legal action,” he claimed.
But DoFTQC refused to make public the test results carried out by another authority. Sanjiv Kumar Karna, director general of DoFTQC, said he does not have rights to make NAST’s report public. “It should be published by the authority which tested the samples. We have collected the research report for our own purpose. NAST should publicize it as we don’t have rights to make it public,” he claimed.
However, Prof Pokharel said that DoFTQC has the full right to publicize the report. “Our job is only to study and inform it to the concerned authorities and they should share it with the general public. There is no doubt about it. We forwarded the report to all concerned bodies. They must do what is necessary.”
When enquired with DoFTQC, the department expressed doubts over the results of the report. “We have to retest it for confirmation. We cannot publish it without confirmation. There are many companies selling contaminated water in the market. So we cannot publish the names recommended by NAST,” said DoFTQC officials.
It is utter negligence on the part of these two government bodies to pass bucks to each other on such a serious issue of public health. This has kept the people in the dark and forced the general public to drink dirty and unhygienic water.
