DHARAPANI: TOWARDS DESTRUCTION

DHARAPANI: TOWARDS DESTRUCTION

Every living being has deep love and attachment with the place where they belong. Memories, moments, places, peoples bind us. No matter wherever you are, your heart and soul always lies in that very part of the world where you grew up irrespective to it´s material prosperity. Even the tiny breeze of wind or dusts of the muddy roads is incomparably special than any other lavish streets and skyscrapers in any part of the world.

Everyone dream to see their village, town or city being recognized for it´s natural and material prosperity. It´s, in fact, an identity which can´t be ignored. Very often people judge you according to the place where you belong. It´s an amazing feeling to describe your friends and  acquaintance about how rich is your place in culture, natural beauty and prosperity.

¨Our locality is an integral part of our identity. We have to protect, preserve and promote our locality as well in order to groom our personality.¨

Every places have their own riches in natural, cultural and material heritage. If they are identified preserved and promoted it will play vital role in grooming the locality. It is not merely the responsibility of government to preserve and promote the heritage but it is also responsibility of all the citizen. Unfortunately, sometime citizens ignorance and activities damages the heritage more. One of the example of such cases is Dharapani Forest located in Kanchanrup-12 of saptari district which is one of the famous picnic destination for not only the people of the locality but also attracts thousands  tourists from neighboring districts and India annually.

Dharapani is an small section of  the forested Churia foothills located in west-north of Kanchanrup Municipality, ward 12. It is 2 Km north from Simara Chowk, one can reach there on private transportation or may choose walking. On foot it´s accessible from multiple places. For the local people of plane, it´s like a bonus where they can enjoy vibes of hills few minutes away. For many decades it has been famous picnic hub for the locals and full of surprises for kids. 

Dharapani has very mesmerizing beautiful landscape. Beautiful multiple river streams flowing between the hills which looks like being guarded by the hills by either sides is surrounded by wonderful vegetation which is home to many animals noticeably monkeys.  It´s banks have adequate space where people can do different activities in calm natural setting. It has many small wonderful springs. The forest is also home to threaten species of various plants and animals. It has been source of firewood, timber for local and grazing spot for the local domesticate animals.

Every year on 1st January thousands of people from different places visit for new year celebration. November to February is considered as the picnic season and  the best time to visit the place. Hundreds of group visits Dharapani in this duration. In recent years, the place has been used as the venue for the meeting and assemblies for different organization and even for political gatherings. People enjoy the beautiful views, rejoices and in returns they leave lots of trashes.

¨If locals and concerned authorities works together, Dharapani can be one of the best center of attraction for tourists in Eastern Nepal ¨

The ecosystem of the Dharapani is being damaged so rapidly that we can easily notice the deterioration that it has gone through in recent deacade . Green hills are partially barren now. We hardly encounter any monkeys and birds which used wondering around in good numbers few years back. We can see lots of trashes scattered all around: bottles, leftovers, plastic bags etc. Illegal deforestation, people´s carelessness , management committee´s ignorance and vague rules and lack of government monitoring has placed the place in danger which has lots of possibilities. Though they charge some amount to the visiting groups but seems least interested in clearing the trashes. 

      WHAT MAY BE DONE TO KEEP THE DHARAPANI CLEAN AND BALANCED?

• Every visiting group should be provided with two large bags (bora) where they can put their degradable and non degradable trashes separately. They can be charged for the bags.
•  At least ten gathering spots should be spotted and required infrastructure should be developed without destroying the environment. Haphazard gathering spots where groups randomly settles is very destructive. 
• Public toilets should be constructed.
• Clean drinking water should be provided at the picnic spots like tube-well so that people wouldn’t bring plastic bottles and leave as non degradable garbage.
• Management committee should organize cleaning campaign periodically.
• Promotional activities should be conducted.
• Deforestation should be stopped immediately. 
• Visitors should be strictly instructed and monitored so that they won´t disturb the birds and animals.
• Trash bin should be kept near all the picnic spots.
• And most importantly the locals living out of the town have to promote and support the place.

It´s our collective responsibility to save the declining ecosystem of Dharapani area. The place has lots of possibilities. People have to care about it. Little care and attention is needed. The beautiful Dharapani is the charm of Kanchanrup Municipality. Little management can double the number of visitors. It can be also used for the educational purpose. Kids can learn lot´s of things.