Kathmandu, August 20:

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has not been able to collect garbage due to the protest programmes against the hike in prices of petroleum products.

Moreover, locals of Sisdole, where the dumping site is located, have barred vehicles of the KMC from entering the area. The locals have been demanding that the KMC construct a hospital in the area, check the leakage of waste, provide a medical team and employment to locals.

“KMC’s garbage collection has been affected as its vehicles could not ply since early morning,” said Rabin Man Shrestha, the chief of the Environment Department at the KMC. He said the collection has also been affected due to lack of fuel in the vehicles and rainfall. One of the trippers of the KMC was vandalised at Kalimati yesterday. It was returning after dumping garbage. Piles of garbage are seen lying scattered at various parts of the city. Shrestha said the KMC has been using the alternative way of ‘crisis management’ to manage the solid waste of the city.

Ram Mani Ghimire, the president of the coordination committee formed by Sisdole locals to hold talks with the KMC, said a discussion was held yesterday with representatives of the political parties and the Maoists, civil society representatives and former VDC chairmen. “The committee agreed to solve the problem if the government agrees to meet their demands,” he said.