KATHMANDU: The pavements and sidewalks of the city are already brimming with stinking garbage but the authority is simply ignorant about it.

The local body employees' union has obstructed the collection of garbage that continue to be littered all over the streets since Sunday. According to an estimate, at least 2,400 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the last four days.

The garbage, which lie in wait for disposal since Sunday following the Maoist strike, worsens off as employees' union anew their strikes.

"The garbage could not be collected since Sunday owing to the double strikes," said Rabin Man Shrestha, chief at the Environment Management Department under the KMC.

The staffers in the local bodies have boycotted all works following the strike called by their union since December 15. One of their strategies for strikes was indefinite disruption of garbage collection, beginning December 20.

Dr Sumitra Amatya, general manager at the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre under the Ministry of Local Development, said the strike has left the Valley polluted and stinking.

"They should allow the disposal of garbage in the greater interest of the people considering its adverse impact on them, but they are bent on disrupting it," she said.

The union has padlocked the local body offices since December 15 which further complicated the problem, said Amatya, urging the government to swiftly respond to their demand and clear the way for the garbage collection. The striking employees say they would immediately abandon their agitation should the government approve the fourth amendment to the Local Self Governance Regulation 2009, which was tabled in the cabinet about three months ago.

"We'll continue obstructing the garbage collection until our demands are addressed," said Hari Kumar Shrestha, president of the Local Body Employees Union, Nepal.

It is estimated that about 600 metric tonnes of garbage is generated on a daily basis in the Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu alone produces at least 350 metric tonnes of waste while Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi and other village development committees adjoining to these municipalities combinely generate about 250 metric tonnes.