Residents of Banchare Danda in Nuwakot district have declared their refusal to permit the disposal of garbage from the Kathmandu Valley into their local landfill site.

Expressing their frustration with the government and Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) for not upholding the agreements made at various times, the locals have decided to initiate a peaceful protest. They have publicly announced their intention to prevent the dumping of waste in their area.

During a press conference organized by a committee comprised of Banchare Danda residents at the landfill site, they issued a warning of a peaceful protest starting on September 18 if a sustainable waste management plan for the unmanaged landfill site is not put into action to safeguard the lives of the residents.

The committee’s coordinator, Shreeram Dungana, criticized the government for failing to ensure citizens’ rights to live in a clean environment and expressed his dismay over the KMC’s unsympathetic behavior toward the affected locals.

Sumitra Dhakal, Deputy Coordinator of the Committee, suggested relocating the human settlement in the affected area and advocated for waste management to be handled by the local level where the waste is generated.

Similarly, Chuyame Tamang, Acting Chairperson of Kakani Rural Municipality Ward No. 2, urged the KMC not to create conditions that would force affected locals to protest to protect their lives.

The affected locals are demanding the implementation of the Waste Development Authority’s formation under the office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, as well as the declaration of the affected area as a highly sensitive zone.

Last month, protests were held in Kakani due to the unlivable conditions that the garbage disposal had created for the residents. Living amongst insects and vultures and the intolerable stench had compelled them to block the garbage trucks.

With inputs from RSS