Raskot's city market buries in waste

By Prem Raj Simkhada,Kalikot, Mar. 9: The Raskot Municipality's central market, RCP Bazaar, in Kalikot district, is becoming increasingly unpleasant due to unmanaged waste. 

Shopkeepers frequently dump both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste along the roadside, creating foul odours in the area.

Despite significant investment from the federal government to develop the city market and its appealing surroundings, the charm of RCP Bazaar faded within a year, leaving residents disappointed. 

Jeewan Shahi of Raskot-7 said that the initial excitement surrounding the market's inauguration quickly vanished. “The grand entrance and the enthusiasm we saw in the beginning did not last long,” Shahi said. “What good is a ten-metre stretch of blacktopped road in front of the municipal office if the entire area is littered with garbage?”

Shahi, who is also a sports teacher, stressed that waste management should have been the municipality's top priority. Instead, he claimed the local government remained caught up in empty talks, failing to address the growing sanitation issues. As a result, the central market area has become an unpleasant zone filled with waste.

Local businessman and UML Municipal Committee Secretary, Kamal Raj Baral, criticised the municipality for not managing a garbage collection vehicle. 

“It is the government's responsibility to manage waste collection and charge businesses a fee. If a collection vehicle arrives and traders still fail to dispose of their waste properly, then the blame would shift to them. But right now, the government is too busy with commissions and nepotism to care about the issue,” he said.

Baral added that since the municipality has not designated proper waste disposal points, plastic waste and debris are scattered along the roads, blown around by the wind.

Locals have accused Mayor Dharma Raj Shahi (Poushan) of being more focused on making empty statements, attending phone sessions during village visits and intimidating staff who do not align with his political stance. 

Kambar Bahadur Shahi of Raskot-1 claimed that the mayor unjustly removed district development committee staff, including himself, based on personal biases.

Municipal Chief Administrative Officer Jawan Singh Bam admitted that waste management discussions had not been a priority. “Previously, waste was not a major issue. However, we now plan to identify a dumping site for proper waste disposal,” he assured.

The growing waste problem has negatively impacted visitors, residents and even local representatives, raising concerns about public health and hygiene in the area.