The government a mute spectator as one of the essential services remains affected

Kathmandu, November 8:

A dispute between cadres of the Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Tarun Dal (NTD) and Young Communist League (YCL) has been causing disruption in the dumping of garbage generated in the Kathmandu valley to the Sisdole landfill site since Monday.

This despite the fact that the state has recognised garbage collection and dumping as an essential service, the delivery of which should not be affected by any group. Denizens of the valley will suffer during Tihar if the disruption in the dumping of garbage continues.

The dispute began after a team headed by secretary of the Lalitpur district committee of the YCL Navaraj Dhungana alias Biswas thrashed an NC cadre of Okharpauwa VDC, Ram Kumar Ghimire, on the charge of hooliganism. Dhungana is a close relative of Ghimire. Identifying himself as a member of the Nuwakot district committee of the Nepal Tarun Dal, Ghimire said he will not allow the transportation of garbage to the landfill site unless the government punishes the YCL people who thrashed him.

“We only thrashed the hooligans, who hampered the distribution of tender forms from the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre, after contractors complained to us,” said Dhungana.

Ghimire said the government will pay heed only after the Valley begins to stink.

Meanwhile, chief executive office of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Dinesh Thapaliya said trucks loaded with garbage to the site will head for the site tomorrow morning. “The government is ready to provide security cover. We will seek security if need be,” he said, accusing a handful of agitating people of threatening him over phone. The cabinet has recognised transportation of garbage as an essential service, he said, adding, “Obstruction in the dumping of garbage should not be be tolerated.”

The government has also banned any kind of struggle on the highways and roads leading to district headquarters. “We have also received support from locals. Only a handful of people have been threatening us not to transport garbage,” Thapaliya said. Chief of the Environment Management Department of the KMC Rabin Man Shrestha demanded that the ministry sort out this problem at the earliest.

He, however, said the KMC will try to remove piles of garbage from major places of the city. Shrestha said the KMC will take 10 truckloads of garbage to the landfill site tomorrow morning.

The KMC has been collecting garbage piled in tourist areas, including Thamel and Hanumandhoka. Agitations that affect the delivery of essential services should be curtailed at all costs, Thapaliya said.