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3. HEALTH AND
ENVIRONMENT
3.1 General
protection of the environment
Air water pollution and deforestation are assuming
alarming proportion. Water pollution is due to inadequate sewerage and
sanitation, industrial wastes and pesticides from agricultural sources. On
the other hand, vehicular and industrial emissions, combustion of fossil
fuels and biomass are the main causes of air pollution. To address these
problems, the Nepal
environment policy and action plan was formulated in 1993 and in the same
year the environment protection council was also established. The Ministry of
Population and Environment was created in 1995. A ban on diesel driven
three-wheelers in Kathmandu, regular check up of
vehicle emission by the government and other designated agencies, a policy
decision to keep the vehicles more than 20 years old off the road, are some
of the important steps taken in recent years.
Lack of resources and trained human resources, inadequate
infrastructure, weak coordination and lack of awareness on environmental
issues, are some of the main problems in the implementation of environmental
programme.
 Ministry
of Environment, Science and Technology and environment as Environment
Environment
National Environment and
Health Action plans
WHO/HQ
3.2 Water supply
and sanitation
The piped water is considered as a safe source of
water. According to the living standards
survey report 2003/04, 14 percent households had access to piped water supply
within their houses and 30 percent outside of their houses. The remaining 56 percent households
depended on covered well (37 percent), open well (5 percent) and others (14
percent), including rivers, streams, ponds etc.
Urban areas have better access to safe drinking water (68
percent) as compared to rural areas (39 percent).The piped water facilities
were available to 33 percent households in 1995/96 as compared to 44 percent
in 2003/04.
The proportion of households with proper toilet facilities
in their dwelling units was 39 percent in 2003/04 as compared to 22 percent
in 1995/96. About 12 percent of households have access to sanitary (sewerage)
system, but it is concentrated in urban areas (54 percent). Only eight percent households have disposal
facilities for solid waste by public and private collector (Nepal Living
Standard Survey 2003/04).
In Nepal
25 percent of the population have access to excreta disposal facility with
coverage of 21 percent rural population and 53 percent of the urban
population.
According to a joint study by the government, National
Planning Commission (NPC) and UNICEF in 1996, the major reasons for not
having a latrine among the households were: no perceived need (66 percent),
resource constraint (31 percent), smell and privacy (three percent).
The Nepal Water Supply Corporation, a government agency,
serves the major municipalities while the department of drinking water and
sewerage serves rest of the country.
The government strategy is to integrate sanitation with
water supply, promotion and utilisation of local
knowledge, skills, resources and low-cost technology. Local bodies, user
groups, NGOs are involved in the operation, repair and maintenance jobs.
Small-scale drinking water projects are handed over to local communities and
user groups. But the major constraints facing its better implementation are
lack of resources, weak cost recovery, etc. Hence private investment is
lacking. There is poor coordination among the stakeholders at local levels.
Besides, rapid urbanisation, pollution of surface
water, diminishing spring water sources and high leakage rate (38 percent)
are some of the other problems. High content of arsenic in tube well water in
the Terai region is posing a new problem.
National
Planning Commission
Water and sanitation) WHO/HQ
Water
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