Lumbini facing brunt of environmental degradation

By Ram Humagai

Cement factories located on the way to Lumbini are the major polluters in the area. nepalnews.com/rh

While the nation marks the World Environment Day on June 5 people from different walks of life in Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha who is known as the apostle of peace, have raised serious concern over the haphazard industrialisation going on in the area and its impact on the peaceful environment in the shrine.

Local people as well as civil society members talking to a group of journalists who visited Lumbini, said they were expecting to develop the highway linking Bhairahawa to Lumbini (about 22 KM) as ‘peace corridor’ but now it has become an industrial corridor.

About eight cement factories are in operation in the corridor and few others are in process to go operational. Apart from the cement factories, stone crushers and other factories are also running on both sides of the road.

Local industrialist Narayan Prasad Agrawal is also worried about the increasing environmental problem in the area and its bad impact on the peaceful atmosphere of Lumbini. According to him, there is no separate industrial area in Rupandehi district so most of the industries are located alongside the Bhairahawa-Lumbini road.

The greenery around the Buddhist shrine may not last long if the environment protection efforts do not speed up.

"There is double lane road, 33-KV power grid and sufficient water supply system so it is an ideal place for industries", he added, explaining the reason why the industrial corridor could not have been established elsewhere.

Dust emanating from cement factories covers a long stretch of the road and whole surrounding while toxic effluent discharged by the factories have polluted rivers and streams.

“The local stone crushers and trucks carrying boulders are other source of noise and air pollution apart from causing traffic jam along the road to Lumbini,” said local environment engineer K.R. Dahal who is doing his Ph.D in the environmental aspect of local Tinau River.

According to him, about 800 heavy trucks carry sand and boulders from Tinau River cross the Nepal border to India via Bhairahawa every day, which is not only creating traffic jam but it is also responsible for the environmental degradation in Lumbini and surrounding areas.

A Buddhist monk meditating in front of the Mayadevi temple, Lumbini.

Dahal maintains that the government authorities should ask Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) prior to granting license to the industries in the area in order to save the fast deteriorating environment.

According to local researcher Dr. Gitu Giri, there are more then two dozen industries alongside Lumbini that cover nearly 13 km area.

Likewise, K.S. Lama, vice chairman of LDT informs that 19 monasteries have been established in the area of Lumbini and land has been allocated for 42 monasteries for different countries.

LDT vice chairman Lama expresses worry over the degrading environment of the holy shrine but claims LDT is mulling over some plans to deal with the problem. "I’m planning to place a ban on uses of plastic bags and other polluting materials in the area,” says Lama who was appointed LDT vice chairman four months ago.

Stone quarries are located nearby Lumbini, which emanate dust and noise.

He informed that LDT is planning re-plantation of local species of trees and preserving the existing vegetation in order to protect the environment.

LDT, which has 3-square mile area under its possession, has a master plan to develop Lumbini as a sacred place of World's Buddhists and all other peace-loving people. 

Many countries that are showing interest to set up monasteries in Lumbini regard this place as the holiest place for world peace. But the unmanaged industrialisation and the encroachments is posing a question whether the dream of developing Lumbini as a centre of peace will materialise. nepalnews.com June 05 09

Have your say ! (Registration required)