Besides the local visitors, the total population of the area is5,869. Unsafe toilet and use of manures are the major cause of water contamination, the report said.

"Litter toilet is common among farming population and the wasteis later used as fertilizer in potato fields," the report said, "There are three types of toilet tanks-simple pit, stone-wall septic tack and cement-wall septic tanks. Only 4.66 percent of the population has cement-wall septic tank."

A total of 2,197 tons of manure is produced in the region annually and eight tons of manure is used in a hectare of arable land. The excessive use of manure contaminates the water bodies badly, Jha added.

Six water samples collected in the area had iron content of 1.2mg/liter in Dudhkoshi at Jorsalle and 0.64 mg/liter in Bhotekoshi near Thame. The iron content in drinking water should be less than0.3 mg/liter, according to the World Health Organization. "Water pollution prevention program should be implemented to control this hazard," Jha said.

The samples collected in the region were tested under standard methods at Environmental Assessment Material Testing Division, Kathmandu.

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Editor:Yang Jie