Bajura, December 17

Budhinanda Municipality has constructed a dumping site over the human settlement area without carrying out feasibility study and taking the consent of the locals in Bajura.

The dumping site was constructed at Khadka Bada village of Ward 7 of the municipality. As many as 75 households live under the site where the dumping facility has been constructed.

According to Garbage Management Act 2011, the responsibility for managing garbage has been given to local levels. It is mentioned in the act that a dumping site should be constructed after evaluation of the environment and agreement among locals. But the municipality has constructed the dumping site despite the locals’ protest.

A local said the newly constructed dumping site not only affected the lower village but it would also destroy drinking water sources. He said the contractor company constructed the dumping site without taking consent from villagers and carrying out feasibility study.

The locals protested against the newly constructed dumping site as it was not a proper place for a dumping site from the environmental point of view. The locals have also padlocked the municipality office in protest.

Earlier, the municipality had planned to construct the dumping site at Dadichaur of wards 5 and 7 of the municipality. The site was changed to Khadka Bada from Dadichaur after locals at Dadichaur protested. The contractor company had constructed the dumping site at Khadka Bada despite protest from the locals.

Deputy Mayor Shristi Regmi at the municipality admitted that the dumping site was constructed without carrying out feasibility study and it was constructed at Khadka Bada after locals of Dadichaur protested. She informed that the allocated budget would be returned if the municipality did not construct the dumping site.