Mahendranagar locals dumping waste on Dhalkebar-Janakpurdham road

By Dhirendra Prasad Sah,Janakpurdham, July 31: A six-lane blacktopped road has been constructed from Dhalkebar to Janakpurdham, with dividers in the middle to accommodate two-way traffic. These dividers were also intended to serve as green spaces, adorned with trees, to enhance the overall environment of the road.

However, the reality is quite different, as the residents of Mahendranagar market, located at Chhireshwarnath Municipality-5, have been using these dividers as dumping sites for their household and other wastes. 

Despite regular cleanliness campaigns conducted by volunteers to keep the road clean, piles of garbage continue to accumulate on the roadside.

For the past four weeks, a cleanliness campaign has been underway, organised by the Rastriya Seva Dal Alumni Association, in collaboration with employees of Chhireshwarnath Municipality, the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and National Seva Dal Adolescent. The campaign aims at generating awareness about the importance of maintaining a clean city.

Dhirendra Sah, one of the campaigners, expressed his disappointment at finding garbage on the road shortly after completing the cleaning efforts. He claimed that Mahindranagar city is home to educated and well-off people, yet they lack the awareness to keep their city clean.

Meena Thakur, director of Rastriya Seva Dal Madhes Province, said that waste from medical shops, including expired drugs, used syringes, and needles, were found in the heaps of garbage. 

Despite requesting the medical shops to dispose of their waste responsibly through municipal waste collection services, they chose to ignore the plea, adding to the litter problem.

Mahendranagar Bazaar serves as the primary entry point for both internal and external devotees visiting Janakpurdham from the east and west to worship and see Janaki Mata, the capital of Madhes Province.

Nirmala Sah, a cleanliness activist from Darshaniya Rameshwar Singh Kushwaha Academy Rastriya Seva Dal Mahendranagar, stressed the importance of understanding the negative impression the tourists get from the widespread litter in the city.

Chhireshwarnath Municipality Mayor Sukadev Yadav, who actively participated in the campaign, shared that the cleanliness drive has been extended throughout the city. 

He informed that a 15-day notice was issued on July 17, urging the people to refrain from throwing garbage on the road and instead utilise the municipal tractors and tippers for waste disposal. The notice also emphasised the use of dustbins for garbage storage.

Mayor Yadav warned that if the notice's guidelines were not followed, they would reissue the request on August 1, with potential legal consequences for non-compliance. He further revealed the municipality's plan to thoroughly clean the Mahendranagar Bazaar area of the six-lane road section, distributing one dustbin to each house and shop. 

Additionally, sweepers have been deployed for regular morning and evening cleaning, and tractors and tippers are being used for garbage collection.

Lamenting the lack of awareness among market dwellers about cleanliness, Mayor Yadav urged the residents of Mahendranagar to maintain the cleanliness of their houses and shops, contributing to a cleaner and more pleasant market environment.