In the mountainous district of Myagdi, ongoing construction of eight hydropower projects within the Raghu Ganga Rural Municipality has led to increased health problems for residents of four wards within the municipality.
Ward member Ramji Sharma from Raghu Ganga Rural Municipality-3 stated that the dust covers the entire village as soon as vehicles start running early in the morning. Despite daily cleaning efforts, dust continues to accumulate in the houses. He mentioned that, besides the issue of dust accumulation and cleanliness, cases of cough and cold have also been on the rise. He said, “There was a joint meeting with representatives of the hydropower projects in the municipality, where they agreed to gravel the roads and sprinkle water on a regular basis as needed, but this has not been implemented.”
Due to the regular movement of vehicles from early morning, dust from the unpaved roads has caused several residents to fall ill. According to Ward member Sharma, the current situation has led to almost everyone in the village suffering from health issues related to the dust.
There are currently eight hydropower projects under construction within Raghu Ganga Rural Municipality. According to the Electricity Development Board, there is the 40-megawatt Raghu Ganga Hydropower Project under government ownership. Additionally, private sector projects include the 37-megawatt Rahughat Mangle, 48-megawatt Upper Rahughat, 21.3-megawatt Thulokhola Hydro Project, 5.5-megawatt Bagarkhola Hydropower, 22.5-megawatt Upper Thulokhola, 4.75-megawatt Sainokhola, and another 4.75-megawatt Lower Thulokhola Hydropower Project.
The Head of the Health Department of Raghu Ganga Rural Municipality, Tikabahadur Shahi, mentioned that due to the dust, about 5 to 7 patients with cough and cold visit health centers within the municipality on a daily basis. He noted that the number of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses like cough and asthma has increased. According to him, areas like Pipley in Ward 3, Dagnam in Ward 4, Chimkhola in Ward 7, and Kuinemangle in Ward 8 have also reported health problems due to the dust. He argued that the construction of eight hydropower projects and the pressure of traffic on the unpaved roads are causing significant health issues for the locals.
KB Bhandari, the vice-president of the Nepali Congress in Myagdi, said that despite efforts to address the dust issue by calling in hydropower project representatives to the rural municipality, they have been non-compliant. “We tried to resolve the issue by bringing in the representatives of the hydropower projects, but their indifference has led to severe health problems for the residents,” he stated.
Assistant Chief District Officer Dhirendra Raj Pant mentioned that although the hydropower representatives had agreed to make a collective effort to address the dust problem on the roads, the implementation has not been satisfactory. “There was an agreement, but it doesn’t seem like they are following it,” he said.