Biratnagar, August 5:

Garbage is lying for months on the roads of the Biratnagar Sub-Metropolis, even as the number of cholera cases in the town is on the rise.

Garbage is strewn all over the Road Shesh Chowk, Gudri bazaar, main road and Bata road. People living in areas around these places are already voicing fear of an epidemic.

According to the District public health office chief, Bhanu Yangden, the garbage dumped on Biratnagar’s main roads is enough to cause an epidemic.

The Maoists have launched a drive to clean sewage from the main roads and subways since the last two months, but the piled-up waste still has not been disposed of. The garbage problem arose after an agreement with a private agency handling garbage disposal was not renewed in mid-July.

The main areas in the city are being used as dumping sites but the authorities are hardly concerned, said Sandesh Shrestha of ward no 6.

He alleged that the municipality was informed of the problem several times but it did not show any interest.

Head of the sanitation department at the municipality office, Jhadi Lal Mahato, said lack of resources was the main reason for the inability to clear garbage.