INTRODUCTION

The importance of water for subsistence of life cannot be overemphasized. Whether it is in use of water in our homes, rearing cattle and growing crops in our farms or the incresed uaes in the industry, remain immeasurable. It is important therefore, to not depletion of this commodity either through contamination or carelessness in serious consequences. Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, seas, oceans are the examples of water bodies

Pollution is the introduction of a contamination into the environment (webster.com,2010). Pollution of water bodies is defined as the presence of exceasive amounts of hazards in water in such a way that it is no longer suitable for drinking, bathing, cooking, or other uses (Olaniran, 1995) . The introduction of any type of foreign materials into natural water to reduce the biodiversity of aquatic life may be regarded as water pollution. Pollution of water bodies is caused due to run off of wastes from kitchen, industries, mines, agricultural wastes and pesticides, radioactive substances and sewages. Factors that contribute to water pollution can be categorized as point and non point source. Points sourcea are the easiest to identify and control, they enter waterbodies from single, identifiable source, such as pipe or ditches. Discharges of waste from factory or home to river is an example of point source. Non point source refers ro diffuse contamination that doesn't originate from a single discrete source, they are ambiguously defined and harder to control. Example of non point source is the leaching out of nitrogen compounds from fertilized agricultural land.

Polluted water transmits a large number of diseses like cholera, typhoid and other viral diseases and hampers the ecological balance along with degradation of environment. Water pollution in enhanced by population growth, urbanization and industrilization. Water pollution can be measured by measurement of chemical indicators and biological indicators of water quality.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

 Pollution of water bodies is one of the burning issue of the world. Pollution of water bodies gives rise to the serious health hazards and the environmental deterioration. Vyas municipality is one of the municipality with very high population growth of 5.19% (CBS, 2068). Increasing urbanization, population density and industralization has resulted into increase in pollution of water bodies. Madi, Seti and buldhi river are the water bodies along with some small ponds in vyas municipality. These rivers have religious importance as well as are major attraction for tourists in Tanahun for rafting but these rivers have been polluted due to disposal of municipal solid waste on the bank of river, cleaning, bathing and household activities at river and drainage system joined to river. It has resulted into major health hazards like spread of viral disease like cholera, typhoid, decrease in number of tourists for rafting and deterioration.

 RATIONALE 

Water pollution in the rivers like Madi, Seti and Buldi is a serious issue of Vyas municipality. The purpose of this study is to identify causes, impacts, and problems of water pollution in Vyas municipality. It involves the interaction with the officers of the Vyas municipality and the local people nearby regarding the problems and their views in solving it. Dumping of solid waste material on the bank of river has been the serious cause of this problem. There are various strategies adopted by the municipality but still the problem remains as the major issue of the area. This report deals with the drawbacks of the current activities, causes and its effect along with the possible solutions. Public awareness, proper dipsoal of the solid waste management, implementation of policies are the strategies to be adopted against pollution of water bodies. 

objectIVES 

The main focus of the study is to carry out the magnitude of the present pollution of the water bodies by identifying the sources, tyoes, causes, impactw and opportunity they pose.The major objectives of this study are:

·         To identify the causes of pollution of water bodies in Vyas municipality.

·         To study about the impact of water pollution.

·         To study the problems caused due to water pollution.

·         To evaulate the current activities and possible solution methods.

METHODOLOGY

 

Various methodology were used for the detail study.

 

1.Desk Study

All the relevant data and information available from various source have been re-viewed to carry out the study. Different text books, articles, journals and internet was to gain more knowledge.

2.Site Selection 

To study about the pollution in an area Vyas municipality was selected. This is named after Ved Vyas, the writer of Veda a holy hindu book. It occupies 248 square km and is located at 280 masl to 1120 masl. It lies in Province No.4 in Tanahun district. This municipality extend from 83°75' to 84°34' E and 27°3' to 28°5' N. The average maximum temperature is 37°C to minimum temperature is 8.4°C. The average annual rainfall is 1960.6mm. There are total 14 wards. Thi municipality is located about 150km west of Kathmandu and 50km east of Pokhara along the Prithivi highway.

(Source:http:/vyasmun.gov.np/en)

3.Data Collection

For the collection of information various methods were used. 

·         Primary Source

In this method field visit was done. Interview was done with Krishna Raj Ghimire, section officer at sanitation section of Vyas municipality and Dillirm Sigdel, Executive officer at Vyas municipality.

  

·         Secondary Source

We took data from CBS, district develoment office and other research articles. 

RESULT AND DISCUSSION 

1. Socio-Economic Status of People 

The total population of this municipality is 70,335 which includes 39,075 females and 31,260 male. Total number of household in this municipality is 18,339. The population growth rate of this municipality is 5.19% with the density of 283.61 persons/sq.km. The major ethnic group of people is Magar(19.50%) followed by Braman(15.5%), Chetri(13.68%), Gurung (8.80%), Newar(8.86%) and Kami(7.62%). The other ethnic group includes Darai, Sarki, Damai, Thakuri, Musalman, Kumal, Bote, Sanysai, Dura, etc. 96% of the total population is literate. 85% of people are involved in agriculture, 5%in business and remaining 10% in other activities. (CBS,2068)

2.Sources of Pollution of Waterbodies

Water pollution in Vyas municipality arises from various activities,among which are:

·         Deposition of solid municipal waste to river bank

·         Drainage canal connected to river

·         Industrial waate dumped into water

·         High population density

·         Washing, bathing, cleaning and other household activities at river

·         Deforestation

·         Application of pesticides and fertilizer at fields

The deposition of solif waste to river bank, drinage canal connected to river, waahing and other house hold activities at river are point sources where as application of fertilizers to agricultural field, deforestation are non point sources. Krishna Raj Ghimire, section officer at sanitation section of Vyas municipality, said the municipality has been dumping eight tonnes of garbage on a daily basis at the bank of river madi(called Bhateri locally) which is the main cause of pollution of water bodies. The drainage canal of Damuali valley is also directly connected to the river. Vyas has very high population growth along with increasing urbanization and industralization. The industrial waste produced by the factories are also dumped into the river. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer added to the agriculrural field also runoff to the agricultural field also runoff to the nearby rivers and ponds during heavy rainfall. Cleaning, bathing and other household activities performed at the river madi and seti have also polluted the river. The use of chemicals to kill the fish at rivers have also contributed to the pollution of water bodies.

3.Effects of pollution of water bodies

Water pollution has negative impact on living beings and also on the environment.Some of the effects of pollution of water bodies are

·         Health hazards

Pollution of water bodies causes various serious health hazards. Drinking polluted water has taken many life in past and causes diseases like dirrhoea, dysentry, typhoid, jaundice and chlorea. Cleaning and bathing at polluted water also causes skin problem and diseases like scabies.

·         Hampers aquatic life

The aquatic life inside water is hampered due to water pollution. It decreses the aquatic life in water and disturbs ecological balance.

·         Reduces religious value and tourism

Madi and Seti have their own religious value which flow alongside Panchamandir and Parashar mandir. Pollution of the river have supposed to decrease the religious value of the river.

Boating and rafting in Madi and Seti river have been popular nowdays but due to increasing water pollution, boating and rafting along with tourism industry have seem to decline.

·         Ecological imbalance

Pollution of the water bodies creates the environmental imbalance due to spreading of foul smell and hampering in the aquatic ecosystem.

·         Due to pollution, eutrophication takes place. It reduces the oxygen content for organism.

·         False smell has been spreaded around polluted bodies making the surrounding atmosphere unpleasant. 

4.What is being done?

According to the local people, Vyas municipality and other organization like Rotary club have initiated their program to control pollution of water bodies. However, these days no any organization have seem to work effectively. Executive officer Dilliram Sigdek at the municipality said that environmental impact assessment report had already been endorsed by the Ministry of Local Development to construct a landfill site in the forest to reduce pollution. Vyas municipality has also banned the use of chemicals for fishing and cleaning of vechiles at the river.

5.Suggestions

Pollution of the water bodies is one of the major issue of Vyas municipality and needs to be solved immediately. The following measures can be taken to solve the problem:

·         About 62% of the waste deposited at the river bank is organic waste which can be used as fuel. Feasibility study on baseline assessment of wastes and potentiality to generate energy through bio gas has been conducted in various municipalities including Vyas in Tanahun.(The Kathmandu Post-2014/12/10)

·         Production of waste should be minimized through reduce, recover and recycle and proper management should be done.

·         The proper alternative for deposition of waste at river bank should be searched and used immediately.

·         Cleaning of vechiles and household cleaning activities at river should be stopped through strict environmental act.

·         For effective control of pollution of water bodies, municipality should involve local community as well as private organization.

·         Farmers should be encouraged for afforestation around water bodies and follow organic farming rather than use of pesticides and fertilizer.

·         Community and school based programs should be launched to increase awareness. 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 

Pollution of water bodies is an environmental problem that is of major concern to Vyas municipality and the world at large. Water pollution control is complex issue addressing all the three aspects of sustainability i.e. economic, social and environmet. Pollution of water bodies has increased in Vyas municipality with urbanization, industralization and rapid population growth. Human contribution to water pollution is enormous by way of dumping of refuse, industrial wastes and household activities like cleaning. So, public awareness and environmental education is applicable. Drainage water and sewage connected to the river must be treated and filtered. Dumping of waste on the bank of river is a major cause of pollution of water and its alternative should be searched immediately. Moreover, Vyas municipality should work in co-ordination with local people and organizations to control the problem of pollution of water bodies.

Pollution in water bodies should be reduced through public awareness, new policies as water bodies are very important through religious, tourism and ecological point of view in Vyas municipality.

REFERENCES

·         CBS Nepal. 2013. Stastistical Year Book Of Nepal-2013. Central Bureau Of Statistics, Kathmandu, Nepal

·         Vyas municipality. 2017. Brief introduction

[Available on: http://vyasmun.gov.np/en/node/4]

[Retrived on: 2017/04/27/7:44am]

·         Bishnu. 2008. A STUDY REPORT ON WATER POLLUTION

[Available on: http://bishnuhelponline.blogspot.com/2008/09/study-report-on-water-pollution-in.html]

[Retrived on: 2017/04/28/8:33am]

·         RSS.2016.Rampant dumping of garbage at Bhateri pollutes Madi river

[Available on: http://the himalayantimes.com/nepal/rampant-dumping-garbage-bhateri-pollutes-madi-riber]

[Retrived on: 2017/03/02/8:22 am]

·         Tuladhar B., B. vaidhya, Dr. Subedi, 2004. Solid waste management in Nepalese municipalities: Solid waste management in Vyas municipality. Clean energy Nepal environmental and public health organisation

·         Owa, F.D.. Water pollution:sources, effects, control and management. Meditetranean Journal Of Social Science.Vol.4. Issue8. pp65

·         Olaniran N.S.(1995). "Environmental and Health: An introduction", in Olaniran, N.S.etal (Ed)Environment and Health. Micmillan Nig.pub.co for NCF. Lagos. P34-151