Ensure public health
The Himalayan Times
18 July 2019
Ensure public health
Nepal
used to be and is known with its abundant water resources, dense natural
forests, existence of popular Himalayan ranges and unique traditional farming
system. However, not all these saying are still relevant, especially those
dense forests and traditional farming system. The forest cover has been
gradually shrinking due to the government’s poor governance and human
encroachment. Illegal logging is another serious factor for the gradual
disappearance of forest areas. Traditional farming practices are almost gone in
the country and have been replaced by modern farming system where organic
fertilizers have been badly displaced by heavy use of pesticides.
Having said this, who is to blame
for the situation? Was it the central government and its policies? Was it the
people who encroached forest land in close collaboration with political party
leaders? Is the District Forest Office, responsible for the management of the forest
to blame for the gradual disappearance of the forests? Likewise, who is to
blame for encouraging farmers to use imported fertilizer and pesticides,
leaving behind traditional ways of using organic manure in the name of increasing
productivity? Did the District Agriculture Office fail to carry out its
responsibility?
These questions and queries will
remain unanswered until the political leaders, the government and its concerned
authorities try to brood over their past performance and act accordingly to
take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the recent government’s decision to
make pesticide residue test mandatory for imported vegetables and fruits and
withdraw it after a few days will continue to haunt them for jeopardizing the people’s
health “Vegetable imports” (THT, July 16, Page 6). It is yet to be seen whether
the government and its concerned authorities will learn a lesson from this
episode and ensure that imported vegetables are safe for people’s health.
Rai
Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj
