KMC keen on hi-tech dumping

Bishnu Prasad Aryal/THT

KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is doing groundwork to dispose garbage using new technologies. A study draft on scientific disposal of city garbage and the management of Bishnumati river corridor is at its final stage.

“We have already completed 85 per cent of the study. The study started in February and will end in June,” Devendra Dongol, planner at the Physical Development and Construction Department, of the KMC said.

They study is being carried out in coordination with the Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA). The project will be implemented after the study is completed. “We launched the study after the CDIA agreed to assist us in implementing the project,” Dongol said.

About 350 tons of garbage is produced in the city every day. Though 80 per cent of the garbage can be utilised, all of the collected garbage is being dumped at the landfill sites. “After implementing the project, we will be able to sort the degradable and non-degradable wastes The degradable wastes can be used to produce compost fertiliser while the non-degradable wastes will be recycled,” he shared. He further said only 20 per cent of the garbage would be dumped in the landfill sites.

As per the KMC’s plan, the Ministry of Local Development has prepared an amendment bill on waste management to involve the private sector in the disposal of garbage in a scientific manner.

The KMC has only one garbage collection centre at Teku. According to the plan, one more garbage collection centre, equipped with scientific processing technology, will be developed at Gongabu while the centre at Teku will be upgraded.

The KMC and CDIA will jointly fund these programmes. Dongol said they were in talks with various international development organisations to chip in more funds for the project.

The project will also upgrade the intersections of the Bishnumati corridor road. “Traffic jams at Tripureshwor, Shahidgate, Ratnapark, Kantipath and Maharajgunj intersections will be reduced by almost 50 per cent after the four-lane road comes into operation,” Shaligram Rijal, assistant executive at KMC added. He also said the KMC would approve the report in the next fiscal year and forward the project for implementation. “We will also treat water in the Bishnumati river and re-design and widen bridges on the corridor,” Rijal added.

This news article was published in THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, dated May 21, 2009.