Lalitpur, August 29 :

The strike staged by over 200 temporary civic staffers of different divisions, sections and ward offices of the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LMC) for the last nine days has brought with it many hardships for the residents, shopkeepers and pedestrians in the Patan area.

The disposal of garbage has been affected. Worse, there is no one to repair the clogged drainage and sewage disposal system.

As there is no one to repair the sewage pipes leaking on roads, the foul smell has been permeating in the entire neighbourhood. The locals fear diseases would spread if the situation persisted for long.

Residents of Patan — from Mangal Bazaar to Pulchowk — have been compelled to wake up to see dirty roads and courtyards every morning. The shopkeepers, commuters and pedestrians, are faring no better. Demanding permanent appointment, the staffers have been staging a strike at the call of the Nepal Association of Municipal Employees (NAME).

Pradip Amatya, an LMC engineer, said, “Despite the strike, we made an effort to clear waste temporarily by using a machine, but to no avail. Heavy rain is making the situation difficult to handle,” Amatya said.

“The drainage system has been clogged. We need to dig at least nine feet to clear the blockage in the drainage, for which coordination with the Department of Roads and Traffic Police is a must. Due to the strike, we have not been able to take any steps.”