Kathmandu, November 2

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has begun taking action against persons found dumping waste in public places.

As part of its ‘waste collection before sunrise’ programme’, it has arrested more than a dozen people and fined them for throwing garbage in public places.

Joint Spokesperson for KMC Namaraj Dhakal said, “Though we have arrested and fined people for dumping garbage at public places, our only aim is to spread awareness.” KMC is assisted by Nepal Police in this campaign.

KMC arrested litterbugs from Exhibition Road, Kamaladi, Bagbazar and New Road areas and fined them Rs 1,000 each. As per the Solid Waste Management Act-2011, those found disposing garbage in public places may face a six-month jail term or a fine of Rs 5,000 to Rs 150,000, or both, depending on the nature of the offence.

Due to lack of permanent landfill site, KMC has been dumping waste collected from the Kathmandu Valley at Okharpauwa landfill site in Nuwakot. Although, the landfill site was initially brought into operation only for two years, KMC has been dumping waste at the site for the last 13 years.

A study by Alternative Energy Promotion Centre said Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City, Bhaktapur Municipality, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Kirtipur Municipality and Kalimati fruit and vegetable market alone produce 331 tonnes urban waste daily. After daily collection of waste at Teku transfer station, garbage trucks carry waste to the Okharpauwa landfill site.