Over 200 groups illegally involved in waste collection

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, November 14

More than 200 private companies, NGOs and individuals involved in waste collection from houses in Kathmandu and Lalitpur municipalities are operating without registration.

“There are uncountable private organisations and even individuals are collecting waste materials and money from people,” said Chitra Sunuwar, an official of the Environment Management Department (EMD) at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). “However, only 19 organisations and individuals are registered to us,” he added.

Sunuwar said that it was difficult to tell the exact number of such groups involved in garbage collection. “Neither, they have registered with us nor have they paid any taxes to the concerned authorities,” he said.

Registered toKMC                                            Registered to SWMRMC

KP Cleaning Service                                  Nepal Pollution Control & Env Mgt Centre

A-Z Sarsafai Kendra                                  A-Z Sarsafai Kendra

Mahila Bataraban Samrakshyan Abhiyan   Mahila Batabaran S Abhiyan

Gaurishankar Sarsafai Abhiyan                 Gaurishankar Sarsafai Abhiyan

Safai Nepal Samuha                                  Safai Nepal Samuha

Paribartan Sewa Pvt Ltd                           Paribartan Sewa Pvt Ltd

KTM Metropolis Solid Waste                  Swargadwari Sanitation Pvt Ltd

Nepal Fulbari Pradushan Niyantran  Gautam Sarsaphai A-Z Home Service

Clean the Nature Pvt Ltd                        Samuhik Shram Batabaran Pvt Ltd

Nepal Batabaran Pvt Ltd                          Facility Int’l Cleaners Pvt Ltd

Batabaran sarankshayan Abhiyan             Bageshwori Sanitation Pvt Ltd

Nepal Samaj Sudhar Kendra                Our Cleaning Campaign & Service

NEPSE Mac                                             Nabajyoti Environment Pvt Ltd

Environment Protection Campaign

Sarsafai Abhiyan Pvt Ltd

Hamro Sarsafai Sewa Pvt Ltd

Sayunkta Sewa Pvt Ltd

Swachha Batabaran Abhiyan

Bauddha Sarsafai Kendra

According to the EMD, Rs 50 to 300 is charged from each. Each firm or individual collects waste from 500 to 15,000 households in their respective areas. A firm earns up to Rs 2 million monthly.

Krishna Prasad Mainali, head of Gaurishankar Sarsafai Abhiyan in Kathmandu said at least 200 organisations and individuals were involved in the garbage collection. “We started working in the field after KMC appealed us. We’ve not paid any special taxes except service charges for the KMC,” he said.

Devendra Pokhrel, officer at the EMD, said they provide tripper, tractor and container to collect the garbage to those parties registered with the KMC. “We charge Rs 20 to 1,500 as service charge from each rickshaw, tractor, tipper and truck for transferring to our Teku station,” said Pokhrel. “Rs 1,500 is charged for a truck of garbage for carrying garbage to Aletar landfill site,” he added.

“Other big companies are earning enough money but we are only serving the society,” Mainali said. “If we will be deprived from collecting garbage after the establishment of plant, we will certainly protest against the government.”

Pokhrel said the unregistered groups used to negligibly throw refuse wherever they liked during the strikes. “On the other hand, they were found using KMC vehicles without paying to us. Our staffs were reported to have money without issuing receipts,” he said. “Now, we have warned the drivers of not doing such illegal activities,” he added.

According to the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre, only 13 such groups and organisations including only one from LalitpurSub-Metropolitan City have submitted their letter of involvement in the waste collection after the government asked their names.

Dr Sumitra Amatya, general manager at the SWMRMC under the Ministry of Local Development, said that those NGOs and private organisation were strongly opposing against the government decision to involve private sector to set up refuse-fuelled plant in the valley. “It is the reason behind their protest against the plant,” she added.