Bhimeshwor Municipality sets example in waste mgmt

By Our Correspondent,Charikot, May 18: With increasing urbanisation, garbage management has been a big problem in many cities nationwide. Bhimeshwor Municipality in Dolakha was also no exception until a few months ago.  The city dwellers had to tolerate the stench emanating from the garbage heaps mainly when the locals obstructed the waste disposal for weeks. 

But now the situation in this beautiful city is different.  Bhimeshwor Municipality has found not only a long-term solution to the garbage disposal problem but has also started earning from the waste, setting an example that income could be generated from the proper management of city waste. 

Bhimeshwor Municipality brought waste treatment equipment in the current fiscal year 2023/24 and began recycling the waste, earning nearly Rs.300,000 over the months.

The Municipality began the process by classifying the waste. It has been collecting the degradable and non-degradable garbage separately from the city areas. 

The waste is collected according to a routine prepared by the municipality. Degradable garbage is collected on Sunday and Monday and non-degradable garbage on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

However, the garbage is being collected only from Ward Nos. 2, 3 and 6 of the municipality. Rabi Basnet, Waste Manager and Employment Assistant of Bhimeshwor Municipality, said that they have also fixed the prices of processed garbage. 

According to Basnet, the price of processed plastic is Rs. 10 per kilogram. Likewise, a kg of processed bottle costs Rs. 12, carton Rs. 5, iron Rs. 40, light Iron Rs. 30, tin Rs. 18, dolls Rs. 20 and Red Bull Rs. 50.  

He said that almost 90 per cent of the collected garbage is processed. However, there is some processed garbage which the municipality has been unable to sell. 

Ishwor Narayan Manandhar, Mayor of Bhimeshwor Municipality, said that they were successful in generating income from waste management after a long effort in cooperation with the local community. 

He also said as the amount of waste generated from market areas increased, the municipality was distributing dustbins. 

He added that the municipality has achieved success in sustainable waste management.