Itahari: In the middle of Itahari-Dharan Road-section comes the Charkose Jhadi (meaning the bush, extending to approximately 15 kilometers). On the board of HansposaCommunity Forest, which is situated in the Itahari area of the bush, there is written: ‘Plant Trees, Save Forest.’ The remains of trees after being burnt can be seen inside the community forest. River of sewage is flowing from the septic tanks of Dharan and Itahari. The unpleasant sound of flies rather than the birds is being produced in the forest. The community forest which cannot be entered without covering the nose.
Itahari Sub-metropolitan City is responsible to get the forest to this level, as it dumps all of its waste in this forest. Talks are of saving the forest, but the acts are of dumping all of the city’s waste in the forest and hence its destruction. Not just Itahari; similar is the situation with Dharan as well. Banjhghara Community Forest andPanwari Community Forest of Charkose Jhadi in Dharan are in similar condition. Dharan dumps tons and tons of waste every day in those forests.
Fire can be seen every day in the waste piled up at the banks of Seuti River situated in the forest area. The smoke emitted due to burning of waste has been causing smog in the forest area of Itahari-Dharan section. This cycle has been ongoing for years.
70 tons of waste in Charkose every day
In this way, two Sub-metropolitan Cities of Province 1, Itahari and Dharan have been exploiting the natural resources by dumping waste at Charkose Jhadi. Itahari Sub-metropolitan City’s study shows that 33 tons of waste is produced in Itahari every day. Environment Section Chief Mr. Pushpa Narayan Chaudhary says that, out of the total waste, 65% of the waste is biodegradable, whereas 10% of the waste is plastic. Dharan Sub-metropolitan City informed that the city produces 37 tons of waste every day. According to Environment Section Chief Mr. Bhesh Raj Ghimire, 22 tons of biodegradable and 15 tons of non-biodegradable waste is produced every day. Similar to Itahari, 10% of total waste in Dharan contains plastic.
Dharan and Itahari both are breaking the law. Article 6 of Solid Waste Management Act (2011) for segregation of waste states that, local level must desegregate the waste at source, at least based on biotic and abiotic. Both of the Sub-metropolitan Cities here have forgot their electoral promise of making the city green.
Both of these Sub-metropolitan Cities have not obliged to the Environment Protection Act (1997) and Environment Protection Rules as well. According to Fifth Amendment of Environment Protection Rules, for the management activities that provide service to the population of more than ten thousand, Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) must be conducted. According to the rule, to dump five thousand tons of waste on the soil, EIA must be conducted. However, the local levels that are themselves responsible for enforcement of rules have been exploiting the forest in illegal way. Article 7 Sub-article 1 of Environment Protection Act (1997) has restricted the dumping of waste in the forest. ‘Nobody shall create pollution in such a manner as to cause significant adverse impacts on the environment or likely to be hazardous to public life and people’s health, or dispose or cause to be disposed sound, heat radioactive rays and wastes from any mechanical devices, industrial enterprises, or other places contrary to the prescribed standards.’
The waste from both Itahari and Dharan are dumped in Charkose Jhadi. Every day, 70 tons of waste is piled up in Charkose Jhadi. It has been observed that twenty one hundred tons of waste is piled up in Charkose Jhadi every month.
According to District Forest office Sunsari, Charkose Jhadi situated in between Itahari and Dharan covers an area of 12,380 hectors, out of which some area is covered by national forest, while there are 23 community forests. According to Assistant District Forest Officer of Sunsari Mr. Mun Raj Rai, those community forests are extended on 4,150 hectors.
Mr. Rai says that the waste dumped in the forest causes issues to both the environment and wildlife. The dumped waste spread foul smell and pollution in the environment, and the wildlife get sick after eating the waste, he explains.
Deadly Waste from Hospital Also in the Forest
The waste from hospital, which is considered deadly for the humans, wildlife and environment, is also being dumped in the Charkose Jhadi without sterilization.
Both of Itahari and Dharan do not have statistics of pharmacies and clinics within their cities. Based on the number of members of Pharmaceutical Association, there are around 300 clinics and pharmacies in Dharan and Itahari. Except for B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, none of the hospitals in Dharan has treatment plant. Mata Manakamana Aarogya Kendra Itahari’s Manager Mr. Hira Shrestha says that there are 10 medicals, 2 private hospitals and 46 pharmacies in Itahari. Pharmaceutical Association Dharan Unit’s member Mr. Balram Bishwakarma says that there are a dozen of medicals and around two hundred pharmacies, including government owned B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, in Dharan. In this way, the waste from three hundred pharmacies, clinics and hospitals is dumped in the forest. Director of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dr. Gauri Shankar Sah says that the hospital treats its waste by itself. The waste from hospital include bandages, syringe, bottle, sharp objects as well as mercury, silver and several chemicals, and there is danger of infection and wound from them. Out of total waste from hospital, around 10% is very sensitive, and that must be properly managed.
Fields that grow waste
Waste is grown on the fields of farmers here. The waste dumped at the bank of Seuti River by Dharan is swept by the monsoon flood, which reach to Rajdhani andBaklauri. The farmers explain that floods have been giving them a lot of trouble by bringing the waste including plastics and bottles.
A resident of Ramdhuni Mr. Hari Lal Adhikari describes his experience about dumping of waste, more than the paddy itself, by the flood occurring after paddy cultivation. “Till seven years ago, there was the problem of cutting by the flood, and we now have issue of piling of waste as well,” he says. It is very hard to take out the plastic and syringe as well as bottles deposited by the flood of monsoon every year. Mr. Purna Prasad Kandel and Mr. Bannu Chaudhary are also troubled just like him by the waste from Dharan. Farmer of Baklauri Mr. Bannu Chaudhary says that someone always gets sick at his home during the month when the flood brings the waste. He says, “Flood not only brings the waste, but also the illness.”
Baklauri’s local health facility Chief Mr. Hari Dev Thakur says that many problems are added during the months of July and August due to the flood. Mr. Thakur said that a dozen patients visited the health facility daily during the time of flood. The statistics from Baklauri health facility shows that the cases of pneumonia and illnesses relate to diarrhea increase during the months of July and August when the floods occur. There were 31 patients of pneumonia in the month of June/July visiting the health facility, which increased to 41 in July/August and 48 in August/September. “The cases of diarrhea are not prevalent at other times, but during the time of flood, there are upto four patients daily,” says Mr. Thakur, “The waste from Dharan not only gets to the kitchen-gardens and farming of farmers, but also at the health facility as well.”
Sorry-state of Forest Office
In this way, two cities here are sending the gift of 70 tons every day at the Charkose Jhadi. In addition, the waste from septic tanks is already there. The Forest Office wonders how the Charkose Jhadi will survive. District Forest Office Chief Mr. Rajendra Niraula says that the area of the waste will be greater than the area of CharkoseJhadi if the volume of waste increases at the same rate.
These Sub-metropolitan Cities are challenging the biodiversity of Charkose forest area by dumping the waste. As stated in the Nepal Biodiversity Strategy, there are 23 kinds of ecosystems present from the sea level to 1000 metres above sea level. There are 1,885 species of flowering and 142 species of non-flowering vegetation. Similarly, 325 species of butterflies, 154 species of fish, 648 species of birds as well as 68 species of reptiles are found in the area. It has been an issue of worry how these precious natural heritages will survive the terror of waste by the cities.
District Forest Office Sunsari is the body to nurture the forest conservation, yet its silence at the times of exploitation of forest is beyond understandable. District Forest Office, which is active sometimes to cut the old and large trees in the name of ‘scientific forest management,’ is only the witness of exploitation of Charkose Jhadi by two Sub-metropolitan Cities of East. Forest Office is expert in making excuses rather than stopping the waste dump. It argues that the local governments are active to break the rules themselves. “Local governments should make laws and ask us to effectively implement,” says District Forest Officer of Sunsari Mr. Niraula, “We wrote letters to Itahari and Dharan to stop dumping waste at community forest area, but they don’t listen to us.” This statement of his shows that the role of forest office has been confined as post office.
According to Sub-article 3, Article 4 of Solid Waste Management Rules (2013), ‘The Local Body shall, while determining the time, place and manner for solid waste discharge, take into account the possible adverse effects on the public health and the environment and the ways of reduction of such effects.’ As per this rule, ‘The processing of harmful, chemical, organic or inorganic waste shall be done so as to destroy the harmful elements in the such waste and the final discharge and disposal shall only be done if the treated waste has turned into a normal waste.’
There are clear rules in regards to solid waste transportation as well, such as solid waste should not be visible, should not fall out and no seepage of liquid materials should be made. In addition, no leach and odor should come out of the solid waste; solid waste should be easily loaded and unloaded; and should be conducive to the road capacity and condition. However, none of these rules has been applied while depositing the waste in the Charkose Jhadi. Waste Management Expert Dr. Sumitra Amatya explains that non-compliance to Solid Waste Management Acts and Rules may warrant the jail period of 15 days to 3 months or a fine upto NRs. One Hundred Thousand.
Compulsion of two cities
Local Government Chiefs say that it is the compulsion to dump the waste as opposed to prevailing acts and rules. The irresponsible act of community forest presidents is also noteworthy. President of Panwari Community Forest of Dharan Mr. Durga Siwakoti tries to get away by saying that he has been newly elected, and does not know much. Hansposa Community Forest of Itahari’s President Mr. Karna Bahadur Raut alleges that, despite his requests several times, the company that takes out the waste of Itahari, Enviro Concern, has been forcefully dumping the waste. However, President of Enviro Mr. Man Dhwaj Moktan says that he has been dumping the waste after agreeing to pay NRs. Ten thousand every month to the community forest.
President Mr. Raut however says that there has not been any agreement of such kind, and they are against letting the dumping of waste in the forest. President Mr. Raut explains that a delegation went to Sub-metropolitan City to request about stopping the dumping activities, and halted the transportation vehicles once. He says, “After we stopped the vehicles few days ago, we let them go on the condition that the dumping will stop after a month. One month has already passed, but they are still dumping the waste.” Sub-metropolitan City says that it is their compulsion to dump the waste for some time, as the dumping site has not been prepared, Mr. Raut explains.
Mayor of Itahari Mr. Dwarika Lal Chaudhary and his counterpart from Dharan Mr. Tara Subba provide same logic behind the dumping of waste at the Charkose Jhadi. It is compulsion to dump waste at the forest area until new Landfill site is prepared. Their common logic is that, this is the compulsion behind the non-compliance to Environment Impact Assessment, and several forest and solid waste acts and rules.
Mayor of Dharan Mr. Tara Subba says that the waste will not be dumped at the forest area after the implementation of Waste-to-Energy Project that will produce energy from the waste at Panwari area of Dharan. He says, “Dharan still practices the waste management system that was being used by the old administrative system run by bureaucrats. But, all issues will be solved soon after the landfill site is prepared.”
Itahari’s Mayor Mr. Dwarika Lal Chaudhary also argues that, since the landfill site is being prepared at a cost of more than NRs. 13 million, there will not be compulsion to dump the waste in forest area anymore.
Pursuance of ‘Dhankute Model’
Dhankuta has put forward exemplary waste management. The stakeholders say that Itahari and Dharan should also carry out the act similar to that of Dhankuta. Mr. Surya Bhattarai, a campaigner of Itahari’s group of environmentalists Keep Itahari Clean (KIC), says, “Most of the waste from Itahari and Dharan is biodegradable. Since most of the issues are related to biodegradable waste, such kind of waste should be managed at household level.” Mr. Bhattarai argues that the management of biodegradable waste will result in reduced infection and illness caused by waste. “If the biodegradable waste is managed at household level and non-biodegradable waste is managed at the landfill site, there will be no foul smell,” says Mr. Bhattarai, “Instead millions of rupees can be earned from the recyclers.”
Environment Section Officer of Dhankuta Municipality Mr. Upendra Khanal agrees with the logic of Mr. Bhattarai. He accepts that the landfill of Dhankuta was prepared in 2009 in an area of around 642 square feet, and has never produced foul smell.
“Our landfill site is close to Dhankuta Bazaar; just at a distance of 150 metres to 300 metres from the settlement,” says Mr. Khanal, “But no one here protests because we managed the biodegradable waste at household level and prepared a garden here.” Nepal Government awarded Dhankuta as Nepal’s first and second cleanest city in 2016 and 2017 respectively because of its excellent waste management. He says that the model of Dhankuta can be effective for big cities such as Itahari and Dharan. “Even a local level with income of just NRs twenty million was able to work in such excellent way,” Mr. Khanal questioned, “Why could not the Sub-metropolitan City with income of NRs. 120-150 million?”
When question about why the waste management in Itahari and Dharan could not be done in the model of Dhankuta, Mayor Chaudhary argues that, since multiple families live in one house in Itahari, the model of Dhankuta would not be practical. The logic of Mayor Chaudhary that, not all families would get the roof and the rooftop farming could not be done in cities such as Dharan and Itahari, and landfill site has to be prepared, proves that the people of the city will have to face more troubles.
Environmentalist of Itahari Mr. Sandip Poudel says that for the mayors who talk about ‘green city,’ it is extremely wrong to dump the waste haphazardly in the green zone forest area. He says, “When the local governments run away from their responsibilities citing the compulsion, how can they hold the people accountable?”
