April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries.

Two years back, two cement industries operating in Bara-Parsa corridor – Nepal Shalimar Cement and Unitek Cement – were padlocked by the locals with the backing of the mayor for alleged pollution caused by the industries. The padlocks were opened later after the industries reached an agreement with the locals.

Before the padlocking of these two industries, production of Himalayan Food International was halted for two months. The locals had obstructed the production of this industry for contaminating the water of Sirsiya river by releasing unprocessed fluid. The industry resumed operation after agreeing to follow waste management measures.

Similarly, Jagadamba Steel located in Simara bazar has been padlocked time and again. The locals have been alleging the industry for deteriorating their health condition due to the pollution generated by the industry. The local administration has mediated a deal between the two parties but still the industry gets padlocked repeatedly for not complying with the agreement.

These are some of the representative cases of increasing conflict between industries and the locals. Since the establishment of industries along Tribhuvan Highway for the last eight decades, the conflict between the two sides have been never-ending. Though Bara-Parsa corridor is popular as the largest industrial area of the country, it is not a pre-planned industrial area. Due to its proximity with Indian port, the expansion of the industries has taken place rapidly due to the ease in import of raw materials.

Along with the establishment of industries along the highway located 26 km away from Birgunj, human settlement has also been getting densely populated at the same rate.

"The increase in population density due to the rise in the number of industries has led to conflict between the two parties over the issue of industrial pollution,” said SubodhKumar Gupta, president of Birgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “The government should take necessary steps to solve this issue,” he added.

Industry Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee of parliament had recently inspected about two dozen industries along the corridor. Pradip Yadav, member of parliament and member of the inspection team said almost all industries are yet to adopt pollution control measures. "Most of the industries have even shut down the plant set up to control pollution, industries should not be indifferent to public health to this extent," Yadav said.

The committee had conducted field inspection of Sirsiya river that flows along the corridor. A study conducted by Parsa District Administration Office had found out that 46 industries were polluting the river with contaminated water.

Industries have not complied with the conditions signed by them to control pollution while taking approval for the establishment of the industry. Industries that are producing vegetable ghee, soap, meat, clothes are directly disposing chemical wastes into the river which is hampering the environment and the productivity of the land which has led to the conflict between the locals and the industries.

Birendra Kumar Sanghai, coordinator of Birgunj Chapter Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said as long as industries and human settlement exist in the same area, this issue will not be resolved permanently. The government should come up with long-term solution to this problem, said Sanghai..

The government's inability to set criteria for expansion of industries and human settlement has intensified this problem, says Ashok Kumar Ved, former president of Birgun chapter FNCCI. Industrialists had demanded to recognize this area as industrial corridor which would have facilitated to address this problem. But the government couldn't take timely measures regarding this, he said.

MP Yadav believes that it would be better for the industries and the locals if the government can arrange land and infrastructure for the relocation of industries. Since Postal highway is in the final stage of completion, the rural parts of Parsa can be declared as an industrial area, he shared.

Industries running along Bara-Parsa corridor need 1000 to 2000 bigha of land, said Hari Gautam, vice president of Birgunj chapter of FNCCI. Industries will shift if the new area will be arranged with necessary infrastructure like road, electricity, sewage system, water processing unit.