Biratnagar, November 12

Garbage has been piling up in the streets of Biratnagar Metropolitan City after staffers of the Waste Management Group, assigned with the contract for the waste management, launched an agitation demanding Dashain bonus.

As many as 250 workers of the group quit work immediately after Tihar and as a consequence, the streets have been littered with garbage. Waste Management Group Proprietor Devi Acharya said garbage collection was disrupted since yesterday as workers launched the agitation seeking Dashain bonus.

According to Acharya, his company had not paid the bonus to workers as it had incurred a loss. Acharya complained that workers had launched an agitation after some workers incited them. “We were not in a position to distribute Dashain bonus. We, however, are providing monthly salary on a regular basis,” said Acharya.

Of the total workers, half are part-timers. Rs 15,000 is paid to a full-time worker while Rs 8,000 is paid to a part-timer.

Workers from Dom community of Biratnagar have been agitating since the festival season to force the company to address their demands.

Biratnagar generates 30 to 35 tractors of wastes on a daily basis. However, the metropolis produces more than 50 tractors of garbage during the festive time. A total of 25 tractors are being used for waste collection and management in the metropolis.

Biratnagar metropolis pays Rs 1.14 million to the contractor company for waste management every month. Mayor Bhim Parajuli said his office might seek an alternative owing to the problem in garbage collection. “The metropolis has directed the contractor company to solve the problem pronto, else we will seek an alternative,” Parajuli added.