Agitating Banchare Danda locals serve October 7 deadline for govt meet their demands

Warn of obstructing garbage disposal in Banchare Danda landfill site if their demands not met by the deadline

KATHMANDU, Sept 16: The residents of Banchare Danda Landfill Site, who earlier announced to obstruct the garbage trucks from entering the dumping site from September 18, have put off their protest plan until October 7.

Shree Ram Dhungana, coordinator of Banchare Danda Landfill Site Affected Area Concerns Committee, said that they changed the nature of their protest after receiving a letter from the government indicating its seriousness regarding their demands.

He said that the Committee reached a decision to change the nature of the protest after receiving separate letters from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Urban Development. They said that the government is serious about the demands of the locals, "After receiving a letter from the Prime Minister's Office with the signature of the Chief Secretary, we have become somewhat flexible," he said.

The locals had announced their protests as there was no response from the government side even after two weeks of announcement of the protest. The locals alleged that the government was seeking conflict with them. "In the end, our voices were heard at least to some extent," Dhungana said. "We have brought about a change in the form of protest, hoping for a solution."

Dhungana explained that their goal is to bring about a change that focuses on finding solutions to problems rather than causing distress to the capital.

During a press conference on Friday, the Committee warned that they will protest creatively from September 18 to October 7 and they will block the garbage trucks and intensify protests if their demands are not met even by October 7. "Our flexibility should not be considered a weakness", said Dhungana, "We are ready to become more flexible if the government takes serious steps to address the issue."

The Committee has demanded that the government set up a landfill site development area free of human settlements and a settlement development area free of garbage pollution. Similarly, the committee has demands that the affected areas be declared as special sensitive zones and a Waste Development Authority be set up.

The committee has reiterated that the agreement reached with Kathmandu Metropolitan City on June 6, 2022 should be implemented within three months. "The trend of making agreements and not implementing them has left us disappointed. Now, we intend to proceed with seriousness,” said Dhungana.