The project undertook a multi-stakeholder approach to document the nature and extent of the potential health impacts due to industrial pollution in the Dhobikhola river towards developing a strategy to address the situation.

This involved the preparation of a multi-stakeholder study documenting the nature and extent of chemical pollution; human health impacts; government and NGO (local and international) capabilities; possible intervention strategies; potential funding agencies for more extensive remediation efforts and the potential for improving human health by reducing pollution impacts.

The project began with the identification of the sources and nature of industrial pollutants in the study area and the development of an up to date inventory of industries and polluting sources in the study area supported by the development of a digitized map of the area as well. Once this was completed, the project undertook an analysis of pollutants through physical, chemical and microbial study of pollutants and consequent public health risk assessment. Based on the outcome of this work, a two pronged strategy of awareness and basic training for industries on the Cleaner Production Approach sought to enhance overall awareness among selected industries as well as in the public on the health impact due to industrial effluents.

This was further supported by a study of the existing legal standards in Nepal with regards to industrial pollution, and increased interaction with government agencies and NGOs to identify areas to develop possible remediation strategies.

The comprehensive nature of the project has resulted in the identification of a number of areas for possible intervention in the future to address the issue of industrial pollution in Dhobikhola River and its outlying areas. The basis of such a remediation strategy is also a combination of different approaches at various levels- the implementation of industrial effluents compliance monitoring system at the government level, the adoption of Cleaner Production Approach (CP) at the industries, and the need to enhance greater awareness at the local level to develop citizen activism in not only enhancing their understanding of localized industrial pollution, but also enabling them to create pressure to the government for the implementation of standards to curb industrial pollution.

For more information on the project, please contact WATO Nepal