Polluted rivers in Kathmandu valley: Are you careful?
The flowing rivers of Kathmandu valley are almost stagnant with the beginning of post monsoon in Nepal. These rivers has to fed excreta in the form of raw sewage, rubbish like crisp packets, newspaper and bags, oil, poisonous substances, cans, bottles and other solid objects. Many industries that are built near the rivers obtain pure water from the river but discharge waste water directly into the same river. Many industrial wastes discharged into water are mixtures of chemicals.
River has its natural dilution property by which it can dilute the pollutants. But the rivers of the valley are fed with massive wastes that overhaul the dilution property mainly during post monsoon. Consequently the rivers become torpid during this season. The amount of dissolved oxygen in all the rivers flowing through urban areas is very low. Dissolved oxygen is in fact essential for the survival of all aquatic organisms. Moreover, oxygen affects a vast number of other water indicators, not only biochemical but aesthetic ones like odor, clarity and taste.
Rivers like Bisnumati, Tukucha, Nakkhu, Balkhu, Manohara, Hanumante, Godavari originate from different hills of the valley and unite with Bagmati river. The Bagmati river leaves Kathmandu Valley through Chovar Gorge. People used to take ritual bath in most of these rivers. The culture is as usual however the clean water in these rivers for the people of Kathmandu valley is a memory. For the new generation it’s a myth. The rivers are no longer in pristine condition in urban cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The upstream of all the rivers are clean, gorgeous and some of them supply drinking water to the cities. As these rivers moves downstream and get in touch with the urban cities they become degraded.
We all know that these rivers are our water asset. But it's disheartening to learn how much of the worst damage to our rivers is caused by us. In fact our deeds are impeccably repugnant. Most of politicians and intellectuals of Nepal stay in Kathmandu valley. Almost all people are educated. Not only had these they think that they are the most civilized citizens of the country. However, these people throw all the discarded materials and sewage directly in the rivers. One can see the piles of solid waste in the banks of these rivers. So the bitter truth is that the conscious people are accountable for what they did to the rivers of the valley.
These polluted rivers spread tainted smell all over the areas and carry the diseases causing vectors. When animals drink the water, they may catch diseases which can kill them. Birds and monkeys drinking water at Bagmati river near Thapthali Bridge; cows quenching their thirst at Balkhu river and many other innocent animals have to die due to water borne diseases. Also these contaminants are known to bioaccumulate as they move up the food chain from microbes on river sediment to fish and eventually birds in the river's ecosystem. The contaminants could have impact on human health if these animals or their products are consumed inadvertently. Rivers are also looking hideous. Also all the rivers have lost the significant aquatic animals and plants.
We're making new Nepal, but our rivers are still in desperate need to be new. We have to save our water resources. Now the time has come to make these rivers clean. People should take a vow that there will be no single contribution from them in degradation of river water quality and create a pressure on government to make and implement policy to save the river. The government must manage the sewage drainage system of the valley properly. Industries should treat the waste water before mixing in the rivers. NGOs and INGOs established to save the rivers must work seriously. They mustn't think that the life of their projects will be ended after cleaning the rivers.
So while crossing the bridges of the rivers of the valley don't close your nose only but think about what contribution you have made to produce these conditions and what contribution you can do to save these rivers.
Pawan Kumar Neupane
Central Department of Environmental Science
T.U., Kirtipur
E-mail: pawan.usk@gmail.com
Contact No. 9841309168
The flowing rivers of Kathmandu valley are almost stagnant with the beginning of post monsoon in Nepal. These rivers has to fed excreta in the form of raw sewage, rubbish like crisp packets, newspaper and bags, oil, poisonous substances, cans, bottles and other solid objects. Many industries that are built near the rivers obtain pure water from the river but discharge waste water directly into the same river. Many industrial wastes discharged into water are mixtures of chemicals.
River has its natural dilution property by which it can dilute the pollutants. But the rivers of the valley are fed with massive wastes that overhaul the dilution property mainly during post monsoon. Consequently the rivers become torpid during this season. The amount of dissolved oxygen in all the rivers flowing through urban areas is very low. Dissolved oxygen is in fact essential for the survival of all aquatic organisms. Moreover, oxygen affects a vast number of other water indicators, not only biochemical but aesthetic ones like odor, clarity and taste.
Rivers like Bisnumati, Tukucha, Nakkhu, Balkhu, Manohara, Hanumante, Godavari originate from different hills of the valley and unite with Bagmati river. The Bagmati river leaves Kathmandu Valley through Chovar Gorge. People used to take ritual bath in most of these rivers. The culture is as usual however the clean water in these rivers for the people of Kathmandu valley is a memory. For the new generation it’s a myth. The rivers are no longer in pristine condition in urban cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The upstream of all the rivers are clean, gorgeous and some of them supply drinking water to the cities. As these rivers moves downstream and get in touch with the urban cities they become degraded.
We all know that these rivers are our water asset. But it's disheartening to learn how much of the worst damage to our rivers is caused by us. In fact our deeds are impeccably repugnant. Most of politicians and intellectuals of Nepal stay in Kathmandu valley. Almost all people are educated. Not only had these they think that they are the most civilized citizens of the country. However, these people throw all the discarded materials and sewage directly in the rivers. One can see the piles of solid waste in the banks of these rivers. So the bitter truth is that the conscious people are accountable for what they did to the rivers of the valley.
These polluted rivers spread tainted smell all over the areas and carry the diseases causing vectors. When animals drink the water, they may catch diseases which can kill them. Birds and monkeys drinking water at Bagmati river near Thapthali Bridge; cows quenching their thirst at Balkhu river and many other innocent animals have to die due to water borne diseases. Also these contaminants are known to bioaccumulate as they move up the food chain from microbes on river sediment to fish and eventually birds in the river's ecosystem. The contaminants could have impact on human health if these animals or their products are consumed inadvertently. Rivers are also looking hideous. Also all the rivers have lost the significant aquatic animals and plants.
We're making new Nepal, but our rivers are still in desperate need to be new. We have to save our water resources. Now the time has come to make these rivers clean. People should take a vow that there will be no single contribution from them in degradation of river water quality and create a pressure on government to make and implement policy to save the river. The government must manage the sewage drainage system of the valley properly. Industries should treat the waste water before mixing in the rivers. NGOs and INGOs established to save the rivers must work seriously. They mustn't think that the life of their projects will be ended after cleaning the rivers.
So while crossing the bridges of the rivers of the valley don't close your nose only but think about what contribution you have made to produce these conditions and what contribution you can do to save these rivers.
Pawan Kumar Neupane
Central Department of Environmental Science
T.U., Kirtipur
E-mail: pawan.usk@gmail.com
Contact No. 9841309168
This kind of weather was predicted by scientist, Mojib Latif who last year predicted that earth was going to cool off for the next 20-30 years.The cooling would be the result of changes to ocean currents and temperatures in the North Atlantic, a feature known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the NAO may be partly the cause of warming during the past 30 years.
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