One more week to collect garbage in Kathmandu Valley

-Sharmila Pathak

The Kathmandu Valley people are bound to endure the reeking garbage piles at different places for one more week as it would take some days to create the first ‘cell’ in the undergoing landfill site of Bancharedanda. Information Officer at Ministry of Urban Development, Suresh Kumar Wagle, informed that construction of the first cell of landfill site was nearing final stage.

However, problems still exists because Sisdol must be crossed to reach the first cell. Huge mass of garbage at Sisdol must be negotiated to new site- first cell. Currently, garbage containers cannot pass via the mound, Wagle added. “First, a makeshift bridge needs to be set up by coordinating with the Road Department and Kathmandu Metropolis. Otherwise, it is difficult to solve the problem. The kathmanduities have been asked not to keep garbage outside the residence for 11 days. As a result, the garbage piled up already on river banks has not been collected- all emanating stench to wrench passersby’s face. Environment department chief at KMC, Hari Kumar Shrestha, viewed it was recurring problems for some years because of failure to manage a landfill site for long-term solution. He blames the Ministry of Urban Development behind such delay.

“There is no place left to manage waste at Sisdol. So, it should be managed at Bancharedanda. Management of waste is so poor that Sisdol of Nuwakot was selected for landfill site in 2062BS just for two years. But, it was expanded out of capacity for these many years, thereby ignoring the responsibility to seek long term solution. Currently, 1200 metric tons of garbage is managed at Sisdole from Kathmandu Valley. The Kathmandu Valley alone generates 500 metric tons of garbage. Bancharedanda, where a landfill for long term solution is being constructed, is two-km away from current landfill site, Sisdol. Bancharedanda lies at the border of Nuwakot and Dhading. —-