Kathmandu, August 2 The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has decided to issue directives to all local bodies to properly manage solid waste so as to promote greenery and maintain cleanliness. The local bodies will be required to coordinate with the concerned district forest and soil conservation offices, district agricultural offices and district livestock service offices to plant trees on roadsides, riverbanks and public places. “The responsibility of protecting young trees will be handed over to the concerned tol sudhar samiti,” said an official at the MoFALD. The ministry has also decided to direct the local bodies to effectively implement the Environment-Friendly Local Governance Framework, 2013 so as to ensure active participation of the public in the promotion of cleanliness, environment protection, climate adaptability and disaster risk reduction. All municipalities and village development committees will be required to formulate an annual plan of action in coordination with stakeholders regarding sanitation and environment protection. “All municipalities will be directed to carry out monitoring of waste management with participation of the locals on a regular basis and initiate legal action against litterbugs as per the existing laws,” he said. At the same time, the ministry has decided to write to all 22 municipalities in the Kathmandu Valley to strengthen the capacity of their concerned waste management sections. For this, the municipalities will be required to conduct interactions and training. “Cleaning of the Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers, and Hanumante and Manahara Khola has also been prioritised. The local bodies will hold coordination meetings with various organisations, local clubs and communities, ward citizens’ forum and tol bikash samitis to make the clean-up campaign more effective and result-oriented,” he said.