KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 21
Piles of waste materials accumulated around the roadsides inside the core urban areas of Kathmandu valley have again become a common sight as the authorised government bodies have failed to transport waste to the Sisdole landfill site in Nuwakot.
Waste collection has remained suspended for over a week after locals obstructed the Mudku-Tinpiple road section of Pasang Lhamu Highway on the way to Sisdole.
Locals have resorted to obstructing vehicles ferrying waste materials demanding timely restoration of the damaged section of the highway.
The Balaju-Trisuli road segment has been in dilapidated condition for around eight years now. However, the concerned authorities have not paid attention to the condition of the road.
Locals have demanded that the government should at least start construction work to make them feel that something worthwhile is going on.
"During all these years we have received assurance that the work will start soon, but no progress has been made so far," said Kumar Ghimire, a local of Mudku Bhanjyang in a telephone conversation.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City has taken the responsibility of ferrying waste products of the valley to the Sisdole landfill site. However, it has stayed away from the ongoing problem this time around. The KMC has taken the stand that the road segment falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, so the issue should be handled by the central government itself.
"We have been facilitating meetings between locals and the central government and pointing out difficulties. But it is not under our jurisdiction to handle the current issue," said Sarkar Dip Shrestha of the Department of Environment of KMC. He heads the Sisdole landfill site management.
The KMC has urged Kathmandu denizens to manage biodegradable waste at their homes. The KMC also called a stakeholder meeting today to discuss the issues and urge the locals to end the protest.
However, locals said they would not allow trucks carrying waste to pass through the area until the road construction begins.
Meanwhile, the Department of Road under the jurisdiction of the central government also seems to be helpless about ending this stalemate.
The road contract was granted to Sailung Construction, which has become infamous as a company that secures the development project, but lingers for decades before starting them.
A DoR officer said bringing the contractor under their jurisdiction had become an uphill task as he was supported by top political leaders. "We also decided to cancel the contract with Sailung construction, but our decision was scrapped by the court. It has become difficult for us to make the construction company abide by the rules," the source said.
Sailung Construction is operated by Sharada Prasad Adhikari who is the landlord of the house where CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal lives. Meanwhile, Adhikari has promised KMC that he will begin work at the Balaju road in two weeks.
"We hope that locals will end the protest after construction works begin in a few days," said Shrestha.
A version of this article appears in the print on February 22, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
