Pokhara. The garbage of Pokhara metropolis, which has not been picked up for 5 days due to the obstruction of the locals, has started to be picked up from Sunday.
The heavy rains that fell on Saturday night had scattered dirt all over the roads. After widespread protests on social media, garbage has been removed from the main market area with the help of dozers since Sunday morning. However, as the residents of the landfill site area continue to obstruct, the collected waste is not taken there and is currently kept in the vehicle, according to the metropolis.
Kalpana Baral, the head of Mahanagara Sanasfai Branch, informed that the garbage was collected and kept in the vehicle as the talks with the locals have not yet been concluded. The street garbage has started to be collected from today. However, that vehicle has not reached Lameahal,” she said, “All the garbage has not been picked up. Only garbage thrown on the roads of some main areas has been picked up.
According to the head of the branch, Baral, on Sunday, only the garbage piled up on the roads of Pokhara’s New Road, Nayabazar, Prithvi Chowk, Chipledhunga and other main market areas were picked up. On Sunday morning, 4 vehicles of garbage were collected.
The city has said that it has not yet been decided when the collected waste will be managed at the temporary landfill site. The metropolis says that it will take a few more days for the waste to arrive in Lameahal as discussions are ongoing with the disgruntled locals. “We are in the process of bringing the garbage to Lameahal, we are coordinating, it is not finished,” said Baral.
Locals have banned garbage disposal from Wednesday, saying that although there was an agreement to temporarily dump garbage for 6 months, to carry it with soil after disposal, it was not implemented.
Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality has been managing waste by creating a temporary landfill site in Lameahal, Ward No. 32, Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality. According to the Pokhara Metropolitan Sanitation Branch, the metropolis was managing 200 tons of waste daily.
Earlier, the metropolis had been dumping garbage in Pokhara-14, Bachchibadua. However, with Pokhara International Airport coming into operation, a temporary landfill site has been designated at Lameahal and garbage disposal has started six months ago.
The landfill site was relocated due to the risk of aircraft accidents due to birds flying over the landfill site.
