KATHMANDU, Feb 19 :The Supreme Court (SC) has summoned officials from concerned agencies to discuss the management of waste disposal in the Kathmandu Valley.
A division bench of Justices Kumar Chudal and Mahesh Sharma Paudel issued the order, calling the Chief Secretary along with secretaries from various ministries to deliberate on the government’s future plans for waste management.
Senior advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha had filed a writ petition at the SC on October 1, 2018, demanding the immediate implementation of legal provisions for waste management to ensure a clean and healthy environment. Following this, the SC had issued an interim order for waste management.
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A division bench of Justices Kedar Prasad Chalise and Tej Bahadur KC had directed authorities on October 12, 2018, to systematically segregate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste to prevent contamination.
Previously, the petitioner had approached the court citing concerns over rising pollution due to irregular waste collection in Kathmandu. The writ also sought an immediate and sustainable landfill site, arguing that the unregulated accumulation of waste violated citizens’ fundamental right to a clean environment. The Kathmandu Valley generates approximately 1,000 tons of waste daily, with biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste collected separately.
The SC has called for discussions involving officials from the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ministry of Forests and Environment, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the Chief Secretary and Joint Secretary of the Bagmati Province government, and chief administrative officers of Kathmandu and Lalitpur Metropolitan Cities, as well as Bhaktapur Municipality.
The discussion agenda includes acquiring the minimum required land for waste disposal, the government’s stance and future plans, and upgrading or relocating the Banchare Danda landfill site. The court has also directed talks on establishing compost plants, biogas plants, processing units, and waste compression systems.
Additionally, the meeting will cover potential private-sector involvement or public-private partnerships in waste disposal plants. Ministries are expected to present long-term strategies and solutions for collecting and disposing of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, considering challenges at the federal, provincial, and local levels.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 24, appointing Deputy Attorney General Deepsikha Munakarmi as the facilitator, while the Chief Secretary and ministry secretaries are required to be present.
