DPSIR analysis of the cremation/open burning of people by the bank of Bagmati river in Pashupatinath river.

1)Introduction 1.1)Purpose

a) To elucidate the relations between hazards created due to cremation of dead body near the bank of Bagmati river in Pashupatinath temple and the impacts due to it in the surrounding.

b) To know about chains of causation which helps us understand the different ways of cremation of dead body.

c)To inspect the impact of cremation of dead body in the holy place.

d)To help the people around the world i.e. Pashupatinath temple to fight against such impacts of cremation of dead body.

1.2)Background Cremation is a method of final deposition of a dead body through burning(combustion).Cremation may serve as a funeral or post funeral rite and as an alternative to the burial or interment of an intact dead body. In our country ,cremation on an open-pyre is an ancient tradition. When the people breathe his last, in the Hindu religion it is mandatory to burn his dead body within 24 hours. The practice of cremation in Nepal at Pashupatinath temple dates back to centuries. The crematorium consists of 6 elevated platforms on the banks of river Bagmati outside Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. The two closer to the temple belongs to the royal family and the nobles, while the remaining is for the citizens. It is believed that a Hindu cremated here would be reborn as a Human in his next birth. The entire process takes 3 to 4 hours, and the ashes join the river Bagmati, which eventually leads to the Ganges river in India. It’s the matter of astonishment by the absence of any stench or smell that accompanies dead bodies. The cleansing with sacred camphor and other substances probably does that. Despite being clogged with garbage and black with pollution, the field Bagmati river is actually an extremely sacred river. The cremation ghats along the Bagmati are the city’s most important location for open-air cremation.

 2)objectives

i)To provide detailed information about burying of dead body in the bank of Bagmati river. ii)To communicate the result of such a burning issue among eco-warriors. iii)To provide a basis for further action necessary for stopping such an issue of burning dead body. iv)To provide a basis for decision making. v)To be able to analyze the effect of burning of dead body in the environment. vi)To persuade the environmentalists to find the alternatives of burning the dead body. vii)Define the system ,problem or management concern of open air cremation.

viii)List key concepts or keywords related to concern of open air burning of dead body.

ix)Continue building uphill/ downhill until all the five sections of DPSIR are filled with relevant, linked concepts.

DPSIR Concept

 Drivers to pressures: Socio-economic Sectors and the pressures they create through their activities.

 Pressures to state: effects of given pressure on biological and abiotic state of the ecosystem.

 State to impact: Impacts to beneficial services provided by components of ecosystem

 Impact to driver: Socio-economic sectors which benefit from ecosystem services.

 Response to drivers, Pressures or state: Decision options and factors they target.

Drivers are often defined as socio-economic sectors that fulfill human needs for food and raw materials, water, Shelter, Health, Culture and security. Other socio-economic sectors donot directly fulfill human needs, but instead support other sectors by building and maintaining the infrastructures needed for the economy to operate.

Drivers→ Pressures:

Drivers function through their activities such as land use changes discharges and contact uses which may intentionally or unintentionally exert pressures on the environment.

Pressures: Pressures are human activities that create stresses on the environment.

State: It reflects the magnitude, frequency and concentration of environment including physical variables, chemical variables, biological state, living habitat.

Impact: The action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.

Response: Humans make decisions in response to the impacts on the ecosystem service or their perceived value. Responses are actions taken by groups or individual in society and government to prevent compensate, ameliorate or adapt to changes in the state of environment.

3) Methodology:

3.1) Site selection

Being easily accessible and in order to save time and money, I have selected Bagmati River to relate DPSIR framework with existing environmental problem.

3.2) Morphometry of site

Bagmati river in vicinity of Pashupatinath Temple is located at

 Approximately 5 km NE of Kathmandu in the eastern part of Kathmandu Valley.

 8.7 km from Kalanki

 Geographic Coordinates: 27°42’35” N 85°20’55’’E

 The average elevation is 1400m (4600 Ft.) above sea level.

3.3) Socio-Economic Condition

The rapid increment of population concentration on Kathmandu has decreased the quality of life. They are forced to live on unhygienic condition of living, suffocating and deteriorating urban environment.

3.4) Data Collection:

3.4.1) Sensing and realizing problem:

The first step was observing the situation and sensing the problem which was done through literature review and observation scenario in the area around Pashupatinath Temple.

3.4.2) Secondary Data:

Secondary Data was in the form of data, information and published materials. Data, Statistics and findings from relevant previous investigation and literature studies were reviewed. Secondary Data collections were studied through magazines, bulletins, aerial, photographs, maps, etc.

Different internet sites and reports were concerned for obtaining secondary information.

4) Result and Discussion

4.1) Drivers: They are sometimes referred as driving forces and referred to fundamental processes in the society which drive activities having direct impact in the environment in the bank of Bagmati river near Pashupatinath temple,the drivers are listed below,

 It is thought people reach the heaven when they are cremated in the pios and sacred place like Pashupatinath Temple.

 It is believed that a hindu cremated in pashupatinath temple would be reborn as a human in his next birth.

 Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur being highly populated people after their dealth are cremated in Pashupatinath Temple.

 Majority of People in Nepal are Hindu, according to Nepal’s funeral traditions which follow hindu cremation, it is customary to bury the dead within a day. As, this temple is located in the center of Kathmandu it assures quick access.

 People consider it auspicious to cremate at Bagmati river.

4.2) Pressure (Result of consumption/ production)

Pressures are anthropogenic factors including environment changes. Burning of the dead bodies leave unpleasant smell in the surrounding which makes pediatrician and other pilgrims visiting to the world heritage. Moreover it emits harmful air particulates and other gases which adds fuel to the burning problem of air pollution. Similarly, although bagmati river is considered as sacred river, the ashes of the burned dead body is mixed into the river which doesn’t only degrade water quality but also give harmful impact to the aquatic animals.

4.3) State

The quantity and quality of physical phenomena ( such as tempreture, biological phenomena, water cycle, air cycle) and other chemical phenomena in a certain area is called state.

There are 3 main types of states: Physical State, Biological State and Ecosystem.

4.4) Impact

An impact on ecosystem service as a consequence for human wellbeing because system directly or indirectly benefit human, social or economic drivers. The impact on the environment and the human life can be analyzed as

 To meet the need of 250 kg wood logs for each pyre, the deforestation process is speeding

 The use of firewood, ghee, straw, bamboo, sandal wood (Optional), laour is high so that it may not be easily accessible to the people belonging to lower class.

 Due to open burning the air particulates and directly reached to air which is hazardous.

 The water used in cleaning the crematory beds and also the access are directly mixed into the river water.

4.5) Response

Crematorium furnace combust at very high temperature 1590°C -1797°C or 870°C- 980°C and it takes our to incinerate the body. However, given the lower cost of electric cremations, the number should have higher no of people. The people belief cremation by crematory furnace gives more suffering to the dead people which deviate them from the direction of going to heaven.

Traditional cremations cost Rs.10000 to Rs. 50000, electric cremation cost only Rs 3200. In addition to cost saving, an eclectic funeral is less time consuming and takes only 45 minutes compared to 4 hours for a traditional cremation. As people are being environmentally concerned, they don’t feel hesitation for electric cremation and they don’t believe there is life and way to heaven after the complete combustion of dead body. “The electric Crematorium furnace provides

the facility of 13 cremations each day which is half the number in traditional ghat.” as said by Chandra Dhakal.

5) Summary and Conclusion

While reviewing in short, any environmental problems can be linked or related in the form DPSIR. The project has been accomplished through site visit, desk study and internet. In this way I had visited to Bagmati in Pashupatiath and analyzed its pollution which was caused by cremation of dead body in the bank of Bagmati river.

6) Recommendation

- The use of electric crematorium furnace for burning the dead body must be extended

- The people must be made aware about the alternatives of open air burning.

- The use of chemicals can be done for management of dead body.

- Not only the effort from general people is enough but the government should made apt steps for the management of the dead body. -Alkaline hydrolysis (also called aquamation, bio cremation, resomation, flameless cremation, or water cremation) should be made mandatory which is a process for the disposal of human and pet remains using lye and heat. 7)References -https://learningforsustainability.net/mwa/dpsir/ -http://www.ejolt.org/2013/02/dpsir