By Hari Prasad Koirala
Morang, Jan. 23: The locals of Kanepokhari Rural Municipality, in Morang district, have demanded that the authorities stop the construction of asphalt plant near the human settlement.
A construction company B&B Construction Pvt. Ltd. is constructing an asphalt plant to the east of Chisang River at Ward No. 5. The company has leased five kattha land of local Durga Bahadur Rajbhandari to construct the plant.

Meanwhile, the locals have been protesting against the plant citing harm to health of the population nearby as the reason. An investment of around Rs. 20 million has been poured into the construction.
“We are not against development, but if the development comes at the expense of the people’s health, it should not be supported,” said Santosh Gurung, coordinator of the protesting locals.
A memorandum signed by Gurung and 200 other locals was also presented to the Morang District Administration Office recently.

Earlier, the agitating locals have also called the attention of the municipality; Province 1 Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment; Province 1 Social Development Ministry; Department of Cottage and Small Industries, Morang; and the federal government’s Ministry of Forests and Environment.
The memorandum states that a dense human settlement and a school with 1,500 students lies near the construction site.

“Toxic air pollutants including arsenic, benzene, cadmium and carbon monoxide are produced by the asphalt plant. The pollutants may cause cancer and skin irritation,” the memorandum reads.
According to Gurung, the locals will be compelled to intensify the protests should their demands fall on the deaf ears. The locals stressed that there was no provision to allow the construction of a permanent asphalt plant by the law.

“Whenever there is a need for blacktopping the roads, a temporary asphalt plant is prepared nearby to mix gravel and sand with crude oil. Since a permanent asphalt plant is being constructed, we are against it,” said Dipak Rai, a local.
Meanwhile, the plant’s proprietor Bhoj Kumar Shrestha said that the since the plant used modern technologies, it would cause no pollution.

“The machines are designed so that the plant would harm neither the humans nor the environment. The plant is also not a permanent one,” said Shrestha. He also added that the plant would be transferred elsewhere if it posed threat to locals’ health.

Shrestha also informed that there was no provision of the government regarding operation of an asphalt plant. “If the government directs us to remove the plant, we will comply,” said Shrestha.
Kanepokhari chairman Tara Bahadur Kafle said that the asphalt plant didn’t fall under the local level’s jurisdiction. “This is why we are unaware of the standards and guidelines related with the plant.”