KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has currently installed 60 ‘smart’ dustbins that cost Rs 600,000 each around the metropolis. Nonetheless, their inadequacy has paved way for locals and pedestrians to throw garbage haphazardly on roadsides.

And in spite of locals’ demand for dustbins at 200 places in the city, the KMC has only been able to place dustbins at major thoroughfares.

Even the KMC officials admit that the number of currently installed dustbin are nowhere near sufficient.

According to KMC Spokesperson Ishwor Man Dangol, although talks have surfaced on installing more dustbins, no decision has been made by the office to that effect.

He further added, there should be at least one dustbin every 100 metres to help KMC keep the city clean.

However, KMC officials say that 1100 full-time staffs collect 500 tons of waste from 700 collection centres in Kathmandu every day.

On the contrary, locals say that they are compelled to litter the streets for lack of proper placement of dustbins in the city.

“The city cannot get rid of piles of garbage in the streets unless the authorities place an ample number of dustbins throughout the city,” Deyan Sunuwar of Baneshwor said.

The solar-powered ‘smart’ dustbins placed by the KMC not only collect waste but also have mobile phone charging slots and display temperature and air pollution level.