Bajura, November 29

Badimalika Municipality has been disposing garbage collected from municipality vicinity on the roadside, haphazardly.

As stipulated by Waste Management Act a local level has to dispose the garbage in consensus with the locals without affecting the environment. But, Badimalika municipality has made an open space on roadside of the Sanfe-Martadi road stretch a dumping site affecting human health. Foul smell emanating from the unmanaged dumping of the garbage has affected the locals.

NGO Federation Nepal central member Kashi BK said foul smell emanating from the incineration of plastic and other wastes was adversely affecting health of the people in the surrounding areas. “People have to walk covering their nose while passing through the Sanfe-Martadi road section,” BK said.

The Bahuli River flows below the dumping site.

Locals said the garbage had contaminated the river.

Since the river mixes with the Budhiganga River, Budhiganga too will be polluted if the garbage is not managed properly, said the locals.They have been demanding that the garbage be disposed at a dumping site away from the settlement and the river.

Municipality Mayor Padam Baduwal admitted that the municipality had decided the existing dumping site without studying its environmental impact. “We are disposing garbage on the roadside due to lack of space,” he said.