The Solid Waste Management and Resources Mobilization Center (SWMRMC) at the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD), which manages garbage disposal in the Valley, persuaded the agitating villagers to withdraw their obstruction during three-hour long talks. The agitators called off their action only after SWMRMC signed a deal with them. [break]
“We will not obstruct garbage collection and disposal any more after Sunday,” Kumar Simkhada, one of the leading agitators present at the talks, told myrepublica.com. “But we will again disrupt garbage disposal if the government fails to honor all the points in the deal signed with us.”
According to the agreement signed by Dr Sumitra Amatya, General Manager of SWMRMC, and Dhan Bahadur Tamang, coordinator of a joint action committee (JAC) of the seven villages most affected by garbage disposal at Aletar landfill site, the government will categorize the villages mainly into most affected, affected and less affected for purposes of compensation.
Similarly, according to the deal, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) will dump garbage only in certain demarcated areas of the site and not exceed the amount allowed by the government.
The Department of Roads (DoR) will build a road connecting Mudkhu of Nuwakot district with Dharke of Dhading. DoR will ensure local participation in the construction of the Mudkhu-Dharke road.
In addition, the government will acquire all the land affected by the dumping site and provide compensation to the owners. The government will also ensure participation of local villagers in constructing an alternative dumping site. SWMRMC has promised to meet all past agreements reached with the agitating locals.
Local residents of the seven villages around Aletar landfill site had put forward a 24-point demand on March 15. The villagers, who claim to be most affected by garbage dumping at Aletar, had started disrupting collection and disposal of refuse on March 29.
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