Siraha, March 21

A minor who suffered burn injury after falling into hazardous industrial waste discharged by a distillery plant in Siraha has died in the course of treatment.

Local Bhola Yadav said Ubaras Sah Teli’s son Sohan, 8, of Ghurmi Beriyar in Golbazaar Municipality-9 was injured after he tripped over and fell into a pile of industrial discharge containing fire while playing with friends near his home on March 15. The discharge was produced by Sharada Distillery.

“We’d rushed him to Biratnagar for treatment. He was then referred to Kathmandu, where he died in the course of treatment at a hospital last night,” said his father Ubaras. His first child, Sohan was studying in Grade I at a local school.

According to Area Police Office Mirchaiya Chief Santu Jayasawal, police are investigating the incident. “We are investigating how the place where the incident occurred had hazardous discharge containing fire,” he said.

Locals had accused the company of dumping hazardous waste haphazardly earlier too. “Enough is enough. They are very negligent about waste produced from the plant, be it dirty water coming out, or other sold waste or fiery discharge. Our cattle also got burnt due to inflammatory waste dumped randomly,” said a local.