Most industries operating in the Sunsari–Morang Industrial Corridor have neglected the construction of treatment plants, forcing local residents to pay the price with their health due to the resulting impacts.
The toxic gases, air, and wastewater released from industries without proper treatment are adversely affecting the health of local people.
More than 550 industries operating in the Sunsari–Morang Industrial Corridor are violating environmental standards.
Industries have been discharging wastewater and toxic air without any treatment, causing local residents to suffer from polluted smoke and sewage. The health of employees and workers employed in these industries has also been seriously affected.
The Environment Protection Act, 2019, and the Environment Protection Regulations, 2020, require every industry to conduct air and water quality tests every six months and submit self-monitoring reports to the Department of Environment. However, more than 500 industries in the corridor have not fully complied with this legal provision.
In the current fiscal year 2025/26, only 14 industries in Koshi Province conducted tests and submitted reports. These include Reliance Spinning Mills, Hulas Wires, Tricot Industries, Prajyakom Pvt. Ltd., Surya Nepal, Uphaar Feeds, and Bottlers Nepal Tarai.
Only 30 industries operating in the Sunsari–Morang Industrial Corridor have been found regularly conducting air and water quality tests and taking initiatives to control pollution.
Even in this fiscal year, only a few industries in the corridor have carried out testing, while many are yet to submit reports to the department.
Following negligence by industries in constructing treatment plants, the Duhabi Municipality has shown some initiative. After the municipal executive meeting decided to direct all industries to compulsorily conduct air and water quality tests and control pollution, some industries have started testing. However, other local governments within the corridor, including Itahari Sub-metropolitan City, Budhiganga Rural Municipality, Biratnagar Metropolitan City, and Katahari Rural Municipality, have not yet taken any mandatory measures to ensure industries maintain a clean environment. As a result, industries such as jute, thread, iron melting, cement, liquor, and plastic factories have been spreading pollution beyond standards.
Chief Administrative Officer of Duhabi Municipality, Suwarna Ghimire, said that industries suspected of causing pollution have been formally directed through letters to conduct testing. “We have required industries where problems were identified through testing to install treatment plants,” he said. “Even after treatment plants are installed, we conduct annual tests to monitor improvements in their condition.”
Polluted air increases the risk of serious diseases among local residents, including lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, eye irritation, and skin-related illnesses. The government has legal provisions to impose fines of up to Rs. 5 million on industries that fail to comply with environmental standards. However, due to ineffective monitoring and a lack of punishment, this provision appears limited to paper only.
Stakeholders have expressed concern that industries are focusing only on commercial profit while suppressing citizens’ right to breathe clean air.
INSEC organized an interaction program on environmental rights and human rights in Duhabi Municipality on Baisakh 14, 2083, bringing together industrialists, businesspersons, local residents, rights activists, employees, and elected representatives.
Based on the complaints raised by local residents during the program and the fundamental concerns highlighted by INSEC, Duhabi Municipality immediately issued a circular directing industries operating in the municipality to construct treatment plants and submit pollution control reports, according to Bimal Chaudhary, head of the Environmental Section of Duhabi Municipality.