POKHARA, Feb 12: The deadlock seen in Pokhara’s waste management is set to end.
At an all-party meeting organized by Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) on Wednesday, political parties collectively pledged not to politicize the garbage issue. Following the commitment, the metropolis announced that garbage collection will begin within 72 hours.
Garbage has remained uncollected for the past month, turning the “Tourism Capital” of Pokhara foul-smelling. Piles of waste have accumulated at major intersections to narrow alleys across the city. With rainfall increasing the risk of a cholera outbreak, the metropolis had sought support from political parties to find a way out of the crisis.
Following commitments from political parties and civil society representatives during the meeting, PMC Mayor Dhana Raj Acharya said that garbage collection will commence within the next 72 hours.
“The metropolis will move ahead in line with the commitment made by the parties. For now, waste will be disposed of temporarily and managed by covering it with 10 inches of soil,” Mayor Acharya said.
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He urged political parties not to display a “double standard” — agreeing in meetings but obstructing implementation in practice. “Since a public commitment has now been made, I expect that past problems will not be repeated,” he added.
Representatives of the political parties present at the meeting pledged support for both short-term and long-term waste management policies of the metropolis.
Bishwa Prakash Lamichhane, coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), said his party would fully cooperate in transporting waste to the site designated by the metropolitan technical team.
“Pokhara’s reputation, both nationally and internationally, is being tarnished due to garbage. Without dividing it into ‘my ward’ or ‘your ward,’ we are ready to help create an environment where waste can be disposed of at the location designated by the metropolis,” he said.
Nabin Sigdel, spokesperson for Nepali Congress (NC) Kaski, clarified that his party would not politicize the garbage piles. “The transformed Congress will not cultivate vested interests over pollution caused by garbage. We are ready to take on any responsibility deemed necessary by the metropolis,” he said.
CPN-UML Vice-Chair Bhesh Raj Baral said that waste management is also the responsibility of political parties. However, he stressed the need to consider local participation and environmental impact. “Waste must be managed in a way that causes no pollution and does not affect residents. UML is ready to cooperate,” Baral said.
Similarly, Manahari Prasad Acharya, metropolitan chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), claimed that certain mobilized individuals had created obstructions and said waste management must proceed even if legal action is required.
Purna Bahadur KC of Rastriya Janamorcha Party emphasized the need for an immediate short-term solution.
Civil society leader Ram Bahadur Paudel suggested that the metropolis should now take a “bold” decision following the parties’ commitments.
Assistant Chief District Officer, Kaski, Chitrangada Baral, said the administration would provide full support for waste management carried out in accordance with established standards. “If the work proceeds by meeting the required standards and without affecting residents, the administration will assist with security and coordination,” he said.
After the temporary landfill site at Lameahal in PMC-32 reached capacity, the metropolis had attempted to dispose of waste at Punditar in PMC-33. However, residents obstructed the plan to construct a waste processing centre there, resulting in garbage collection being halted in Pokhara for the past month.
