Bajura, April 27

Lack of proper waste management system is polluting the Karnali River, the longest river of the country that runs through Far-west Province and Karnali Province.

The garbage churned out in the human settlements and bazaar areas in districts including Bajura, Humla, Mugu, Achham, Dailekh is disposed in the river thereby polluting it.

Mostly, residents of the bazaar areas along the Karnali Corridor dump the garbage directly into the river.

Civil Society Bajura Coordinator Janesh Bhandari said the situation was getting worse due to lack of waste management system in the settlement area.

Acting executive at Swamikartik Rural Municipality Kuber Shahi said the locals threw all kinds of waste, including bottles, into the river.

He said the locals also used the river water for bathing, washing clothes and for other household works. However, due to haphazard waste dumping in the river they had been facing water crisis.

Himali Rural Municipality Chair Govinda Bahadur Malla said the population in the market areas was increasing, but the authorities concerned had not bothered about managing the waste by setting up dumping sites yet. “Due to lack of toilets in many households and hotels, people have been polluting the river banks,” he added.

The Karnali Corridor entrusted to the Nepali Army for construction spans around 145 km from Kalikot’s Lalu to Humla’s Sarisalla.

Of the total length, 40 km lies in Kalikot and 44 km in Bajura, while the remaining part lies in Humla.

The Nepali Army had started construction of the road four years ago.