Garbage collection likely to resume from today

KATHMADNU, March 15: Garbage workers, who had halted garbage collection in Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) citing security reasons, are likely to start collecting garbage left unattended on the streets for the last four days.

The workers have decided to start collecting garbage from Monday after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) assured 11 labor unions of the KMC that it would provide them security at the Okharpauwa landfill site in Nuwakot district.


As a result of workers' strike, heaps of garbage had been left unattended on the streets of Kathmandu for the last four days. Even the Basantapur Durbar Square, a UNESCO heritage site and also a popular tourist destination, has started to reek of garbage.

Over 700 garbage workers belonging to the labor unions had stopped collecting garbage after locals of the landfill site manhandled some KMC waste workers and vandalized their vehicles last week over the death of a minor after being run over by a garbage truck. The workers had halted garbage collection saying they cannot risk their lives.

"We will hold a meeting with other labor unions on Monday morning and we may resume garbage collection from 10 pm tomorrow," said Shiva Jee Bhattarai, chairman of Local Development Workers' Union-Nepal at KMC.

On Sunday, MoHA had directed District Police Office of Kathmandu and Nuwakot to provide security to garbage workers at the landfill site.

Likewise, the police also arrested two persons involved in vandalizing garbage vehicles of KMC, which was one of the demand put forth by the labor unions. The locals had torched two dozers, one loader and a tipper along with the truck that crushed four-year-old Rijan Balami to death. They had even manhandled a dozer operator and thrashed a fire truck driver of KMC.

Garbage workers of KMC said the locals have frequently threatened to kill them.

Similarly, the government has also directed the Department of Roads to provide dozers to KMC for waste management at the landfill site until KMC purchases new equipment.

Meanwhile, locals at the landfill site have obstructed garbage disposal at the landfill site demanding compensation to the deceased family. KMC is holding talks with the locals to resolve the issue.

KMC produces over 500 metric tons of garbage daily.

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