Patna, Jan. 31: Residents of Raxaul had a reason to cheer as the Nepal government today took the first step towards making Sariswa river pollution-free.

The Parsa district administration of Nepal has come up with a report, which not only talks about factors that have led to the pollution in Sariswa river but also has suggestions about the steps needed to be taken to address the issue.

An eight-member committee formed in December 2010 has come up with the report. Ritesh Tripathi, a Nepal-based social activist, headed the committee. Tripathi, at a function held at Birgunj today submitted the report to the Parsa chief district officer (CDO) Nagendra Jha.

The committee members have identified 50 industrial units of Birgunj-Pathlahia industrial area, which are responsible for the degradation of the river water. It has recommended legal action against 44 of these industrial units, including leather factories, medicine manufacturing units, iron and steel industries and textile industries. The report says pollution of the river water was being done in violation of the provisions of the interim constitution of Nepal, which talks of right to clean environment as a fundamental right of the citizens of the country.

It also says that by allowing the flow of polluted water in India, these factories are hampering the India-Nepal relations as the interim constitution talks of keeping good relations with friendly countries like India.

“Initially, we were asked to submit the report in 15 days but the magnitude of the work was vast, hence it took us around two months in preparing the report,” Tripathi said over phone.

Pollution in Sariswa river — a tributary of Burhi Gandak, on the bank of which Raxaul, a sub-divisional town of East Champaran district located around 215km north of Patna on the India-Nepal border is situated — has become a major concern for Raxaul residents as the river water has turned black and carries a foul smell all the time. Presence of several toxic elements in the river water has become a major health concern. Moreover, no one can rule out the possibility of these toxic substances entering the food cycle of Raxaul residents.

The river originates in Nepal and flows southwards. After flowing for about 15km in Nepal it enters India in Raxaul. From here, the river flows around 20km in India and meets Burhi Gandak near Sugauli in East Champaran.

The present crisis is the result of setting up of industrial units in the past 15 years near Birgunj town of Parsa district of Nepal, located between the origin point of the river and Raxaul.

Also the release of untreated waste by the industrial units in the river water has led to the present situation.

Talking to The Telegraph over phone from Raxaul, Anil Sinha, the man who brought Raxaul residents under the banner of Sariswa Nadi Bachao Andolan for waging a movement to free the river from pollution, said: “Nepal has taken a very positive step and the Parsa chief district officer has promised that steps would be taken to implement the recommendations.