KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is preparing to produce bricks out of dust collected from the city, said the KMC.

So far approximately 6,500 tonnes of dust has been collected from the city.

To this effect, discussions with the concerned authority were underway, said Hari Kumar Shrestha, chief of the environment department at the KMC. The KMC's effort means to utilise dust when there have been difficulties to manage it, he said. At present, dust collected from Kathmandu roads has been deposited at Teku.

Seven broomer machines that were purchased from Italy two years ago at a cost of Rs 108 million have been deployed every day to clean Kathmandu roads.

A broomer machine can collect dust at a distance of 10 kilometres on a daily basis. Of the broomer machines the KMC has, four have capacity of collecting 16 tonnes dust and one has capacity of collecting six tonnes.

Meanwhile, the KMC has urged the Department of Roads to fill and repair potholes along roads at New Road, Ratnapark, Jamal, Kalimati, Kalanki, Putalisadak and Bijulibazar.