Dadeldhura headquarters struggles with waste management due to absence of permanent dumping site

Dadeldhura: Due to the lack of a permanent dumping site in Amargadhi Municipality, which is also the district headquarters of Dadeldhura, waste is currently being managed at a picnic spot near Amargadhi Park close to the headquarters. The municipality collects all types of waste, both rotting and non-rotting, at one location and burns them, which has contributed to environmental pollution.

A permanent dumping site has not been constructed in the municipality for years. Local representative Nar Bahadur Tamoli of Malam village said that elected representatives have not paid sufficient attention to the issue. He stressed that the dumping site should be removed immediately from the roadside, which is used daily by the public.

Amargadhi Municipality collects garbage daily from major commercial areas including Dadeldhura Bazaar, Bagbazar, Tufandanda, Kirtipur and Khalanga. However, it faces challenges in managing the waste properly. At present, municipal vehicles collect garbage from the doorsteps of residents in the market area, but the waste is being dumped near the road leading to Malam village. This has caused foul smells for citizens traveling along that route, said Surat Tamoli, another local resident of Malam.

He said that he has repeatedly protested against keeping the dumping site in that area. According to him, although an all-party meeting in Poush 2080 decided to manage the dumping site within three months, the decision has not yet been implemented.

For years, the municipality has been managing waste on a temporary basis in different places. However, due to objections from residents of those areas, the municipality has continued to face difficulties in waste management. Earlier, waste was managed at Kuiyadhar in Amargadhi Municipality-7, but after nearby villagers protested due to the stench, the municipality sought alternative locations. As no suitable site was found, waste is currently being temporarily stored along the roadside leading to Malam.

At present, the municipality has purchased land from locals in Guilegada of Amargadhi Municipality-6 for waste management and is preparing to manage waste there. According to Minraj Ojha, Information Officer of Amargadhi Municipality, there is dissatisfaction among locals over the purchased land, but construction work is still underway.

However, locals are in favor of forming a struggle committee to stop the work. Gangu Degrade, coordinator of the struggle committee, said that since the proposed site is close to a settlement, they have been urging the municipality to manage waste elsewhere. He claimed that the area is not suitable for waste management and said that locals were informed late about the plan to build a dumping site there. He added that a statement has been submitted to the municipality, the Division Forest Office and the District Administration Office after collecting signatures from residents.

Gagansingh Bhandari, head of the Dadeldhura District Coordination Committee, said that land has been purchased from locals in Amargadhi Municipality-6 for waste management and that an environmental impact assessment has already been conducted, although the report has not yet been received. According to him, the municipality has purchased 14 ropanis of land at the government rate for waste management.