By Bomlal Giri,Nawalpur, Sept. 12: Smoke accompanied by a pungent, gunpowder-like smell has been continuously emerging from Ghangi Bhir in Plega, Hupsekot Rural Municipality-6 of Nawalpur, leaving local residents worried.
A plume of smoke has been rising continuously from Ghangi Bhir, located about 500 metres south-west of Plega village. As the phenomenon has persisted for a long time, concerns among local residents have grown, with the issue now reaching Parliament and the government.
The District Police Office has also inspected the site. Superintendent of Police (SP) Yuvaraj Khadka said a police team found that smoke carrying a pungent smell similar to gunpowder had been continuously emerging from underground.
“We inspected the site and found smoke continuously coming from beneath the ground with a pungent, gunpowder-like smell,” SP Khadka said. “We do not know what is causing it, and the matter is beyond our jurisdiction.”
Chham Bahadur Somai Magar, ward chairman of Hupsekot-6, said a similar phenomenon had occurred about 15 years ago but disappeared on its own after a year or one-and-a-half years.
He said the same problem had resurfaced, creating fear among local residents. The ward office has already informed the District Police Office and the rural municipality about the situation.
Magar said a small landslide had occurred in the forested area, although there had been no major landslide.
A settlement of 35 households in Plega lies about one kilometre north of the site. Hupsekot Rural Municipality chairperson Laxmi Pandey said residents were increasingly concerned that underground gas could cause an explosion if the emission of the pungent-smelling smoke continued.
“We had been informed about the problem several times, but we had remained silent, thinking it could be fog in winter or smoke from a forest fire,” chairperson Pandey said. “However, the latest inspection confirmed that it was not the case.”
Govt to send study team
The continuous emission of smoke with a gunpowder-like smell has now drawn the attention of both Parliament and the government.
Speaking during Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Nawalpur-1 lawmaker Rajan Gautam described the incident as unusual. He urged the government to immediately send a team comprising geologists, gas and chemical experts, and disaster management specialists to Hupsekot for a detailed study.
The government has subsequently said it will send a study team. Science and Innovation Minister Mahabir Pun telephoned chairperson Pandey and assured him that a team would be sent, Pandey said.
“The minister called and asked us to send the letter requesting a study along with the videos. He said he would send a study team,” Pandey said. “Accordingly, we have sent all the documents.” The Department of Mines and Geology has also said that the cause can only be determined after a detailed study.
Dr. Ganesh Nath Tiwari, deputy director-general of the department, said the department was ready to visit the site if the local government formally requested a detailed study.
As the same type of phenomenon has reportedly occurred at the site for a long period, Dr Tiwari said it could be related to geological or mining activity.
The Rising Nepal
