Mangalsen municipality under fire for dumping waste in community forest

Achham: Mangalsen Municipality in Achham is facing criticism over its failure to manage municipal waste, leading to the indiscriminate dumping of garbage in a community forest.

All waste from the Mangalsen market is being disposed of in the Palevan Community Forest, located along the Thulasain–Mangalsen section of the Mid-Hill Highway. Originally, the municipality had constructed a dumping site in Ward No. 6, in the middle of a residential area. However, the site was abandoned due to its negative impact on public health.

As a result, piles of waste—including household garbage, plastic, hotel and shop waste, boilers, and alcohol bottles—can now be seen along the forest road. The area has become foul-smelling and unsanitary, raising serious concerns among local residents and commuters about its impact on health and the environment.

The stench is intensified as rotting and non-rotting waste are mixed and left uncovered. Locals report that the waste attracts foxes, further adding to the risk of disease. Despite repeated complaints and written requests from the Palevan Community Forest Users Committee, the municipality has continued dumping waste in the area for over a year.

“The forest has been turned into a dumping site, and our calls for action have gone unheard,” said Yagya Prasad Dhungana, Chair of the Users Committee. Gehendra Bahadur Dangi, the municipality’s chief administrative officer, confirmed that the waste has been managed in the same location from the beginning.

Locals are calling for immediate intervention to protect public health and the environment in Palevan Community Forest.