Kathmandu, August 23:

The Chief Executive Officer of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Dinesh Thapaliya today said that the KMC alone will not be able to manage the garbage produced in the city and that involvement of the private sector is necessary.

Addressing an interaction on private sector’s involvement in solid waste management, organised by the Clean Energy Nepal, Thapaliya said the Ministry of Local Development has agreed to regulate private sector’s involvement in the solid waste management in the Kathmandu valley.

“The private sector has been contributing to collection and transportation of some 30 per cent of garbage produced in the city everyday and the private companies charge certain amount to their clients through mutual agreement and the KMC is not engaged in this affair in any manner,” he said.

The KMC is trying to involve the private sector in solid waste management by enforcing some rules and regulations, he said.

“We are aware that KMC alone cannot manage the city’s solid waste,” he added.

“The KMC has the authority to charge certain amount of money to the public for the purpose of solid waste management but it has not authorised the private companies to collect money on its behalf,” he said.

“We are preparing to invite quotations from the private companies for management of solid waste management in the city by raising certain service charge and whoever will quote the lowest price will be awarded the authority to clear garbage from the city,” he said.

He also insisted that the private companies should themselves transfer the garbage collected in the city to the Sisdole Landfill Site.

Basudev Upreti of Solid Waste Management Association Nepal said hundreds of tons of garbage has been piled up at the city streets and different factories are in shortage of raw materials following the strike by private sector working for solid waste management.

Meanwhile the workers of the private companies expressed their anger over the KMC decision to clear the garbage in the city by themselves and deprive them from their only source of income.