Kathmandu, May 8

The Ministry of Urban Development and Kathmandu Metropolitan City have expedited their efforts to complete the construction of a sanitary landfill site at Bancharedanda on the border of Nuwakot and Dhading districts by the end of this fiscal.

The authorities said the under-construction landfill site could be brought into operation within June for sustainable management of waste produced in Kathmandu valley after MoUD Secretary Madhusudan Adhikari and KMC Chief Administrative Officer Ek Narayan Aryal carried out an onsite inspection of the project to take stock of the progress yesterday.

Secretary Adhikari said the government would start disposing of waste at Bancharedanda-based landfill site with effect from June and the construction was underway to meet the target. “We have instructed the contractor to hand over the new landfill site within the stipulated time,” he said.

CAO Aryal said the government had accorded high priority to waste management at Bancharedanda-based landfill site and closure and post-closure maintenance of Sisdole landfill site in Nuwakot. After the new landfill site comes into operation, the government will close down the old landfill site.

Once the landfill is closed, the authorities are responsible for monitoring and maintenance of the landfill cap, decomposition gas control system, storm water management system, water quality system and leachate management system.

Contract for the construction of the new landfill site was awarded to Lumbini-Koshi and Neupane JV to complete construction work within one year (May 5, 2019), but in vain. The contract price was estimated at Rs 346.8 million. The contractor failed to complete construction work even within the revised work schedule of 7 January 2020.

The under-construction project spreads over 1,792 ropani land acquired by the government. The government had started disposing of waste produced from valley at Sisdole since 5 June 2005.

After the holding capacity of Sisdole landfill site reached saturation point, the government managed the valley-produced waste at Aletar of the same district.

After Aletar landfill site reached its full capacity, the authorities expanded the capacity of Sisdole landfill site. According to KMC, it is highly critical to carry out systematic development of the landfill site to address the problem of waste management plaguing the valley for decades.

The valley produces an average of 1,045 metric tonne garbage daily. Kathmandu alone produces daily waste of 516 metric tonnes. Waste generated in 18 municipalities of the valley except Bhaktapur are disposed of in Sisdole landfill site.

If Bancharedanda-based landfill site is not completed within the stipulated time, the valley will not find a place to dispose of its waste. The under-construction landfill site is expected to hold waste for at least 20 years after its completion.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 9, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.