Posted by: chanaa_tarkaari February 4, 2011
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Shantipriya,
In 1994, I had visited outskirts (similar areas you have highlighted in the above picture) of Sanagau, Thimi, Panga and Lele. In the picture, the white block right north of the highlighted area is a newly constructed hospital. It was also a public area called Mye-Dofo when I visited the area. My visit was a part of Dutch funded project studying possibility of recycling solid waste to manufacture high-quality manure for organic farming. Theoritically, the human/animal waste are valuable collectible for sustainable solid waste management. We did a survey on how much collectible waste is dumped there on regular basis. The good quality waste does not stink, that is the principal of waste-collection and recycle business. The plan was to systematically collect the waste and establish an organic manure manufacturing plant. This project was abandoned because we were unable to ensure constant supply of good quality human/animal waste convertible to organic manure due to rapid increase of domestic toilet construction, which would make the plan economically unfeasible. That conclusion was found true in 2005, as there were more than 70% houses equipped with in-house toilets, and by now, almost all houses have one. The toilets are mostly connected directly to sewere, without separating black, grey and white waste that are not useful for the economically attractive organic manure production.
Besides being familiar with the area and local habit, I learnt several important aspects of traditional waste-management system. The Dutch advisor, a professor at Dutch University told that Nepalese people were already doing the organic waste recycling in principal, you just needed a system to make it an industry. He was amazed to see local farmers collecting dried human/animal waste using buffalo-ribs, which were mixed with straw-dust+hay+ash, etc. and then used in farm as manure. The process of collection, drying up, improving, packing and distribution, that was the major phase of the industry, which was there already in their traditional practice. Having open land for waste collection at the outskirt of dense settlement, and closely located farm area was one of the most efficient and hygeniec waste-recycling method. To have an entire society following it strictly and in a form of tradition was an amazing observation for the Dutch expert. I am mentioning all these details to tell that these open lands were not actually bad-practice, but were truly sustainable and efficient recycling system that worked for several centuries. We were not told all the aspects of its benefit and we needed some foreigners to open up our eyes to see how our system had worked flawlessly for so many years.
Now, after rapid urban growth, should they stay the same way? No. because the farms have diminished and traditional work-habits are changed. Hence, you see other uses of these lands, such as the newly constructed hospital. These land are not for open-air defecation. Some areas are dirty due to uncovered sewage and waste dumping. Some areas are publicly used area. Also, there are plenty of new constructions, and influx of people (labors, travellers, passerby etc.), who might have used the area to urinate/defecate when they were in trouble, just like people urinate the sidewall of Narayahiti Palace while standing in line for passport application. So, I won't be surprised to see the area dirty, but I don't believe you will still see hell lot of people shiting on a land early morining as you have claimed.
By the way, I just asked a friend from the same area online. He told me, this area is now protected for a park-developement. People use it for morning-walk purpose. All surrounding area is crowded with newly constructed houses. I would love to see an updated picture if possible. That one is updated by Google last year.
In 1994, I had visited outskirts (similar areas you have highlighted in the above picture) of Sanagau, Thimi, Panga and Lele. In the picture, the white block right north of the highlighted area is a newly constructed hospital. It was also a public area called Mye-Dofo when I visited the area. My visit was a part of Dutch funded project studying possibility of recycling solid waste to manufacture high-quality manure for organic farming. Theoritically, the human/animal waste are valuable collectible for sustainable solid waste management. We did a survey on how much collectible waste is dumped there on regular basis. The good quality waste does not stink, that is the principal of waste-collection and recycle business. The plan was to systematically collect the waste and establish an organic manure manufacturing plant. This project was abandoned because we were unable to ensure constant supply of good quality human/animal waste convertible to organic manure due to rapid increase of domestic toilet construction, which would make the plan economically unfeasible. That conclusion was found true in 2005, as there were more than 70% houses equipped with in-house toilets, and by now, almost all houses have one. The toilets are mostly connected directly to sewere, without separating black, grey and white waste that are not useful for the economically attractive organic manure production.
Besides being familiar with the area and local habit, I learnt several important aspects of traditional waste-management system. The Dutch advisor, a professor at Dutch University told that Nepalese people were already doing the organic waste recycling in principal, you just needed a system to make it an industry. He was amazed to see local farmers collecting dried human/animal waste using buffalo-ribs, which were mixed with straw-dust+hay+ash, etc. and then used in farm as manure. The process of collection, drying up, improving, packing and distribution, that was the major phase of the industry, which was there already in their traditional practice. Having open land for waste collection at the outskirt of dense settlement, and closely located farm area was one of the most efficient and hygeniec waste-recycling method. To have an entire society following it strictly and in a form of tradition was an amazing observation for the Dutch expert. I am mentioning all these details to tell that these open lands were not actually bad-practice, but were truly sustainable and efficient recycling system that worked for several centuries. We were not told all the aspects of its benefit and we needed some foreigners to open up our eyes to see how our system had worked flawlessly for so many years.
Now, after rapid urban growth, should they stay the same way? No. because the farms have diminished and traditional work-habits are changed. Hence, you see other uses of these lands, such as the newly constructed hospital. These land are not for open-air defecation. Some areas are dirty due to uncovered sewage and waste dumping. Some areas are publicly used area. Also, there are plenty of new constructions, and influx of people (labors, travellers, passerby etc.), who might have used the area to urinate/defecate when they were in trouble, just like people urinate the sidewall of Narayahiti Palace while standing in line for passport application. So, I won't be surprised to see the area dirty, but I don't believe you will still see hell lot of people shiting on a land early morining as you have claimed.
By the way, I just asked a friend from the same area online. He told me, this area is now protected for a park-developement. People use it for morning-walk purpose. All surrounding area is crowded with newly constructed houses. I would love to see an updated picture if possible. That one is updated by Google last year.