Kathmandu, August 25:

Japan has agreed to provide 21 big vehicles to Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and Lalitpur sub-Metropolitan City (LMC) for transporting the garbage produced in the cities to dumping sites. Head of the Environment Department of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Indra Man Singh Suwal said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to provide 21 vehicles worth Rs 80 million. Among the 21 vehicles with hook-lifted containers, 17 will be used by the KMC and four will be used by the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City for transporting the cities’ garbage to dumping sites.

Every year about 100,000 tonnes of garbage is produced in KMC, which employees around 930 sweepers to clean its streets. Currently, the KMC dumps two-third of the collected garbage at riversides near Kirtipur while it transports 60 to 80 tonnes of garbage to Sisdole dumping site at Okharpauwa of Nuwakot everyday. Currently, the KMC has seven carriers for garbage transport. Suwal said after the arrival of the Japanese carriers in October, all the garbage collected in KMC would be transported to Sisdole, which is about 28 km far from Kathmandu. At least one third of the Kathmandu’s garbage is collected by private sector under the door-to-door garbage collection programme.