Kathmandu facing risk of epidemic as it turns into 'garbage city'
There is a clear danger of an epidemic hitting Kathmandu Valley that may
possibly take a serious toll on the lives of its residents as heaps of
stinking garbage remains littered in the pavements of the city's roads for
more than two weeks now.
The Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control has warned the
government that the unmanaged garbage might trigger a serious epidemic in
the city and put into risk the lives of its residents.
Although Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) had on Friday said that it
would clear the garbage off the pavements and streets of the capital
within a few days, one can still see heaps of it lying in various parts of
the city.
Pedestrians are forced to walk stuffing their nose with handkerchief to
ward off the stink coming from uncollected garbage that has at some places
virtually covered the pavements and flowed up to the middle of the road.
This has also caused traffic problem.
Kathmandu is forced to sink under the waste it generates everyday, as
locals of Sisdole have again gone back on their words just three days
after reaching agreement with the government never to obstruct KMC
containers from dumping solid waste at the Sisdole Landfill Site.
They again obstructed 26 vehicles of KMC and Lalitpur Sub-Metropolis
Sunday from transporting the city's wastage at the dumping site saying
that their demands have still not been fulfilled by the government.
Seemingly helpless by the repeated obstruction created by Sisdole locals
in dumping garbage, the government has again reiterated that it is willing
to meet all the valid demands of Sisdole locals.
The agitating Sisdole locals in a meeting with concerned government
agencies last Thursday had agreed not to block Kathmandu Metropolitan City
(KMC) from dumping solid waste at Sisdole Landfill Site, as they had been
doing for the majority of the past two weeks and many times prior to that.
In return, the government had assured that all the valid demands of the
locals including infrastructure development in the locality would be
solved through dialogue.
According to an independent report, Sisdole locals have obstructed KMC
from dumping city's wastage at the landfill site more than 100 times in
the past two years, leaving Kathmandu's streets and pavements littered
with stinking garbage that cause serious eye sore and possible health
hazards. nepalnews.com ag June 29 08
Related news
- Sisdole locals vow never to obstruct garbage dumping again
