The Role of Cultural Practices on Pollution of Phewa Lake (An Anthropological Study of Phewa Lake, Pokhara, Nepal)

Abstract

A study was conducted to examine the role of cultural practices as kind of mechanism of used by pollution of Phewa Lake, Kaski district Nepal. A single-visit survey method was used to gather data through structured questionnaire (80 households), direct observations. Likewise, the primary data played a dominant role into drawing a valid summary and conclusion. Secondary data were also incorporated when it was relevant and required. People are dependent on lake resources for water, drinking sanitation, bathing, boating and fishing as well as tourism activities. Major sources of solid wastes are finding in research hotel waste, home dust, and plastic bottle bags, waste related to fish farming, and religious cultural wastes. This is major cultural practices and techniques of pollution of Phewa Lake. Research questions were raised and combinations of qualitative and qualitative methods were applied. On the basis of objectives, it has been assessment, explained and analyzed the role of cultural practices on pollution of the common resources in detail such as Phewa Lake. Tragedy of the common approach is the valid. This research has been showed the common property ruined as well as harmful and being poisonous. It has been disturbed natural rhythm by human assess and access through cultural practices and technology. They are depending on such resource from ancient past. But they are less responsible to improve the condition and quality of such resource. They only harvest form it but never think to manage such resource. They are just using it but never think about the whole ecosystem. They are using different modern culture for their subsistence and using Phewa Lake as a source of economy rather than the part of environment. Unmanaged solid waste disposal is one of the main causes of environmental degradation or Phewa lake pollution. Rapid urbanization, population growth, and attitude and behavior of the people are another cause of effecting on ecosystem. This study has included this population. This study has focused on human learned and shared behavior, cultural technology and subsistence economy and pollution of Phewa Lake.