It appears the government wants to go as usual instead of doing something offbeat
The Supreme Court has virtually ignited a spark by directing the concerned authorities to provide a setback of 20 meters on either side of the rivers in addition to a similar provision already made in the past, which, however, yet remains to be implemented in totality. Consequently, new construction cannot be undertaken within 40 meters, and the existing buildings have to be cleared from this strip after providing compensation to the owners, including the clearance of any slum by duly providing them a decent place to stay. This verdict has received wafer-thin support to such an extent that the government has expressed its inability to execute the court order, duly requesting the court to reconsider this decision. The new provision has been made to prevent floodwaters that have routinely entered the river bank settlements, causing discomfort to its habitants, and also to protect the river ecosystem.
It is said that the Ganga, the epitome of the rivers in Hindu mythology, had been flowing around the curly hair of Mahadev, the God of the Gods. Sage Bhagirath performed penance for thousands of years requesting Ganga to come down to the earth in order to wash the sins of 60,000 of his ancestors for their ascent to heaven. Incidentally, they had been turned to ash by sage Kashyapa when he opened his fiery eyes after he was disturbed in his meditation. It happened after they made noise upon seeing the horse which had been tied in the sage's front yard by Indra, who, in fact, had stolen it. Ganga had initially rejected the demand of Bhagirath, asking how he would he clean as she would be dirty after people washed their sins. But Mahadev was pleased by his penance and gladly shook his head, following which a drop of water fell to the earth. This drop of water took the form of Ganga and the other rivers that irrigate the earth.
Ganga's prediction has come to be true, looking at the incredible pollution in the rivers these days, especially in the urban areas, due to indiscriminate discharge of raw sewage and dumping of solid waste. In fact, the sewage should be fed into a treatment plant, and the treated affluent led into the rivers. But the government has miserably failed in this work citing lack of adequate budget.
Similar was the plight of the Thames River in Britain in the mid-19th century. It had become so smelly that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had to exit from the boating cruise within minutes of embarking on it despite one person spraying perfume and the other fanning vigorously. One sanitation engineer Joseph Bizlegate had proposed constructing sewer lines on either side of the river, collecting the forthcoming sewage and directing it to the treatment plant constructed downstream. However, the bureaucrats had shelved it in the drawers to gather dust labelling it as unpractical. It had to be executed after a streamer carrying highly placed officials overturned leading to their death, despite attempts to rescue them, due to the absence of oxygen in the water. River Thames was restored to its original self to the extent that salmon fish also reappeared with the purification of the river.
The pollution of the rivers in Nepal, especially in the cities, has taken place due to the forceful occupation of its adjoining areas by narrowing it down by the construction of abutments on both the sides. First 4 meters, then 10 and recently 20 meters had to be left on either side of the river as setback as mentioned in the different by-laws. The maintenance of 20 meters itself has not been possible due to the emergence of illegal slums on the river banks. The extension of a further 20 meters is an uphill task for the government as that would mean demolition of property worth a trillion rupees.
It may be remembered that large floods are considered to have a return period of 10, 20, 50 and 100 years. Such a river stretch is usually determined based on the 100-year return period of the floods. The present buffer of 20 meters is inadequate in view of the flood water entering the river bank settlements every year.
In fact, demolitions have been undertaken quite remarkably in the past. One of them is the road widening carried out in the capital city in particular. It created a huge uproar initially, but the government executed it very firmly. The traffic of the Kathmandu Valley would have been worse had the extension drive not been made.
Outsides Nepal, the renovation of Paris, initiated by Napoleon and executed by Eugene Haussman, an engineer, is very memorable indeed. Paris used to be so crowded that 23 people lived in a 54-square-foot room located on the fourth floor in lle de la Cite near the famous Louvre Museum of Paris. Consequently, it was a breeding ground for many diseases, including cholera, which took innumerable lives in 1832 and 1848.
The Paris renovation work created such great inconvenience to the people that Napoleon lost the following election. However, it is because of this courageous campaign that Paris receives about 70 per cent of the tourists that visit the globe every year. The wide boulevards, the buildings with uniform facades, symmetrical streets leading into huge open spaces lure tourists from around the world.
The maintenance of a 40-meter buffer on either side is certainly going to be a Herculean task due to the need of demolishing innumerable buildings followed by the need of a huge compensation fund. But as can be seen in the Paris extension, it can lead to the beautification of the river bank. But in view of the government itself filing a petition seeking the reversal of the Supreme Court verdict, it appears to want to go as usual instead of doing something offbeat.
