Waste Disposal Begins

Much to the respite of the residents of the Kathmandu Valley, garbage from the capital and its adjoining cities has been collected and ferried to the landfills at Sisdole and Bancharedanda in Nuwakot district since Tuesday. The garbage has been heaped and littered at the corners of the cities for weeks after the locals from the dumping sites obstructed the trucks carrying it. Although the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) managed to collect and transport the trash to the dumping sites, the local people have protested the movements of waste-loaded vehicles, rejecting the agreement reached between the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) and people’s representatives of the Kathmandu Valley and Sisdole and Bancharedanda Monday night. The police had to resort to force to control the mob of the protestors in order to allow the garbage-carrying vehicles to reach the landfill sites. The locals’ continued objection to the dumping of the waste generated in cities shows the gravity of the problem that has continued for years. 

According to a news carried by this daily, altogether 157 public and private sector trucks carrying 1,221 metric tonnes of garbage from the capital valley reached Bancharedanda, the newly constructed landfill site bordering Nuwakot and Dhading districts the other day. The workers managed to dump around 1,200 metric tonnes of garbage only after the cops detained a few protesting locals. There is a crisis of trust regarding the implementation of scores of past agreements. The garbage management has been a chronic problem, which has posed a question to competence of elected local officials as well as the government and degraded the image of Kathmandu as a pristine, clean and beautiful city in the world. 

The residents in the cities where the tonnes of garbage are generated are not also satisfied with the local and administrative leadership over the poor delivery of basic services such as waste management, drinking water supply, sewerage system and road. This might be a reason why they voted for an independent candidate as the mayor of KMC in the recent local election. The new mayor Balendra Shah got down to business before his victory was formally announced. He promised not to wear khada and celebrate his election victory unless the garbage problem is sorted out.  He met and listened to genuine concerns of the affected locals and held meetings with top political leadership and stakeholders to manage waste at the earliest. 

As per the accord, the MoUD will provide Rs. 425 million for the five landfill site-affected areas and Rs. 17 million for river control, community building and temple construction and tree plantation for the upcoming fiscal year. In order to check the foul smell, the garbage will be dumped below a 15-centimetre layer of soil. The government will start the process of acquiring land after receiving the report of environmental impact assessment. On the basis of this report, the Ministry of Health and Population will be requested to construct a 10-bed hospital for the locals, followed by a process of post-closure of Sisdole within six months. The KMC will start health insurance of the locals of Wards 1, 3 and 4 of Dhunibensi Municipality and Wards 1, 2 and 3 of Kakani Rural Municipality. These areas will continue to get the infrastructure development grant being provided earlier. It is an important agreement to end the recurring garbage issue but it needs to be implemented sincerely.