Save Environment For Health Of All

It was alarming to hear from different media outlets that Kathmandu has become the most polluted city in the world and the environment is getting worse day by day in the city.

Actually this time of the year is taken as the spring season when flowers bloom and the weather balances the gap between the cold days of winter and the oncoming hot and rainy seasons. But at present, we are hearing more about the heat wave that has hit different districts, specially, in the Tarai belt and the deadly incidents of villages ravaged by fire and people suffering from different diseases. Some weeks back, chief of United Nations (UN) warned how the humans had only two years to protect the environment of the entire world.

Early warning

This early warning should be heeded by all the countries in the world, whether they are in the developed or the developing categories, and also by the least-developed countries in all parts of the earth. Countries in all the categories, in some way or the other, have played their part for this disturbing situation and they all can be blamed for their faults. The developed countries are perhaps the worst offenders as they didn't care about the environment much when they were hurtling on their way to progress and industrialisation. Now they are making many laws which may come as a hurdle in the efforts of the developing and least-developed countries for their own progress. Both the developed and the least-developed countries should find a middle path to achieve development goals of their own without harming the ecology.

Every nation must play their part in preserving the natural environment of the earth, where all the humans are living. This danger to the natural environment of the entire world, where we all are residing, must be battled not only by stricter laws made by the authorities, but also by each and every human living in it, by contributing in their own way to save it from further disaster.

In Nepal, which is pursuing to become upgraded to the developing nations  category, it is pertinent for the authorities to be more vigilant about preserving the natural environment of this country, which once had the blessings of nature and where the people lived in a healthy environment.

The news that Kathmandu has become the most polluted city in the world and many people have been suffering from diseases caused by such polluted air is disturbing to say the least for the people residing here. Almost a similar situation exists in many other municipalities around the country, which are densely populated. A doctor, talking to a TV news show, said that it would even be difficult to breathe for people in Kathmandu if this situation continues for long. Another medical doctor informed that children aged up to twelve years, the elderly above sixty and those suffering from chronic diseases, were most vulnerable to this high rise of temperature and dangerous pollution in the air which we all breathe.

It is also said that the pollution at present has been fuelled more by the wildfires which have created devastation in many villages around the country and the fires in forests and the burning of plastic, along with construction of roads by destroying the once lush fields, have also played a major role in making the environment so unhealthy. Luckily the local people with the help of soldiers from the local security forces have been able to douse fires and minimise the destruction of houses and the hard-earned property of the mostly poor farmers who live in these vulnerable areas. It is also reassuring that personnel of the security forces are already getting ready for the soon oncoming monsoon rains, which bring floods and landslides and they are taking part in drills in rescuing victims of such natural disasters.

Lax manner

One of the two major concerns for many people who are observing this destruction of the natural environment and the pollution that has affected the lives of so many people here, is the lax manner the Nepali authorities take, with many such disasters that is affecting the life of many fellow citizens and even inviting fatalities of innocent people. The second one is the construction of roads in many places in Kathmandu and even in the hilly areas, without giving much thought to planning or making any detailed study of the landscape. The unfortunate incidents of wildfires, pollution and the damages that follow because of such carelessness of the authorities, but which is ironically described as 'development' by many people, is really disappointing.  It seems especially the political leaders and crooked individuals dealing in plotting and selling of lands have such notions to hide their own faults and shortcomings.

For example, many municipalities do not have a proper dumping site for safely throwing waste matters and all they do is either throw such wastes on the nearby river banks or in some other place where again the people of that area suffer from such an irresponsible act.

Burning of plastic bags and other products made by this unbiodegradable material also is responsible in producing dangerous gases that are stuck under the ozone layer and which affects not only Nepal, but the rest of the world as well. So it is the duty of every person living on earth to contribute, if even in small ways, to save the global environment and make every place a safe haven for all to live in.      

(The author is former chief editor of this daily.)