I am Hem Kumar Pokharel (Basan) from Biratnagar-6. I will be
helping BMC-Silt in their awarness campaign.
Supporting
BMC and building a website for that organization. Though BMC is doing the
basic things (picking up the waste in the proper way), it is still struggling
for its sustainability. People are not much educated to understand why and
how waste should be properly handled. BMC was established in 1997. BMC has
achieved a lot but people are still ignorant and have not understood the
necessity of proper disposal of waste. People seem to care less about other
places then their home. I understand that keeping our surroundings clean is
solely depended on us. We are responsible for our waste and not others. In
Nepal even educated people care less for their environment. It is all due to
lack of education on environment. People are now becoming cautious and course
on environment is already made requirement in schools. I am positive that
people are becoming aware of need for proper training, waste handling and education.
I am very far away from my country and I have found a very beautiful way to
help my hometown, Biratnagar. I will be creating a website for BMC and try to
boost their awareness campaign.
1) Biratnagar is the second largest and
most industrial city of Nepal. Though it is a heart of Nepal in industry and
second most populated district it has no website of its own, till the date
10/09/02. Though there are many cyber café (where people come and use
internet by paying) and youth are attracted towards it there is no material
in the web, which represents Biratnagar strongly. People in Biratnagar are
cautious about keeping the knowledge of the world and are very much connected
towards computer. It was too late for me to take computer classes as a
requirement in my higher secondary but my sister who is five years junior to
me in studies got a chance to take a course on computer since her seventh
grade. I am sure developing a web page will bring changes in Biratnagar in
the field of solid waste. 2) I knew BMC since I was in school, I
studied the management procedure of BMC and I have exhibited it in a school
fare just to draw the attention of my friends,visitors and for my own
interest. I am happy with the results and patience shown by BMC. Literates
are coming forward to support this movement. On the way to awareness campaign
(September, 2000) in association with Youth Development program have gathered
30 volunteers and educated them with the problems and solutions to deal with
the solid waste for 30 days. Those volunteers were asked to stand in the
crowded area of Biratnagar and ask them to watch the malpractice of the
general public on environment for 7 days. Volunteers asked environmental
abusers to pick up their waste and if they disagree they voluntarily picked
up. The aim of this program was to give a kind of reflection to Volunteers
observing the habits of people in streets. On the last day many people
marched in the procession with Volunteers. It was a successful program.
People appreciated the ideas. Building a website for a developing place like
Biratnagar to aware people about environment is an additional effort to draw
the attention of people in Biratnagar for solid waste. 3) Nepal is the country where joint family
system is very popular. If one woman knows the importance of solid waste
which can be easily reused and recycled and have different other importance
are thrown away in a very improper way. Those thrown waste create problems
and are the chief source of many diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery
etc. Many people die in Biratnagar due to those diseases. Municipality is
very weak on this matter and agreed to give the responsibility of waste to
BMC. If BMC does not get support it will soon turn its back due to lack of
support. As my responsibility to my hometown it my duty to think better and
diffuse the knowledge I have. 4) I am away from my country and I think
about my birthplace. I am sure there are many people who are out of town for
studies and jobs and care about their birthplace too. They might not have
found any ground for discussion or are unable to give their ideas to improve
the waste handling procedure of Biratnagar. Web will be the perfect place to
get them involved and make them a responsible person. You can always contact
me at Clean Biratnagar