Kathmandu, February 8

The government has developed the model procedure for cleaning rivers and public places for the purpose of local levels to keep the villages and cities clean in association with social campaigners, civil society and general public.

This procedure focuses on rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, parks, gardens, religious and cultural heritages, open spaces and other public places to maintain their cleanliness and aesthetic value. It comes into effect from the date of approval by the concerned Village Executive or Municipal Executive. The procedure also aims to protect biodiversity, maintain ecological balance, enhance local tourism and eco-tourism through local economic development, and develop cleanliness.

“As the local level alone cannot protect and conserve the rivers, streams, ponds and religious and cultural heritages, and public places, a partnership shall be maintained with public, private, cooperative and community organisations in this regard,” it states.

The concerned local level will also expand the investment of private sector in cleanliness campaign under its corporate social responsibility.

As per the procedure, the local level shall conduct various campaigns, including the declaration of open defecation free area, clean village/city, environment-friendly village/city, plastic-free area and alcohol and tobacco-free area. Similarly, this procedure has empowered the local levels to make the polluters bear the cost of cleaning work.

“Upon commencement of this procedure, the local levels shall segregate degradable and non-degradable waste in sources, and collect and dispose of them; prohibit piling of construction materials on the road and pavement; grant permission to display hoarding boards and other ad materials only in designated places; and dispose of hospital waste in a prescribed site,” the procedure states.

It requires each governmental and non-governmental agency to clean its compound and surrounding area at least once a month and clean local rivers, streams, ponds, parks, gardens, cultural and religious heritages twice.

They may also provide token money to various persons for this purpose. There will be a municipality/rural municipality and ward-level sanitation

committee. The 12-member rural municipality/municipality-level committee and the nine-member ward-level committee will be headed by the chief of local level and ward chair respectively. The committee will be responsible for coordinating and collaborating with various agencies and stakeholders in the sanitation campaign.

“Each local level shall allocate necessary budget from equalisation grants, revenue distribution and its internal revenue in the area of sanitation. It may establish a separate fund for this purpose. A public-private partnership shall be adopted to attract the private sector for sanitation in the concerned local level,” the procedure states.