LAHAN, Aug 12: Lahan Municipality finally started to collect garbage from near the highway after over three weeks. The municipality acted only after the unmanaged waste threatened the outbreak of an epidemic in the region.

Mayor Muni Sah had stopped the responsible body from collecting garbage after a row erupted over widening of the road.

The mayor had allegedly stated that he would not allow garbage collection until the Department of Roads widens the main road of the city to 103 feet.

However, when mayor faced criticism from all walks of life regarding this decision, he was forced to take back his stance.

Mayor Sah finally dispatched workers on Saturday to clean the area and dispose the waste while still maintaining that the roads will have to be widened. If the roads are to be widened in the municipality, approximately 20% of the houses will have to be destroyed. As a result, many locals didn't agree to the mayor's plan.

Mayor Sah had gave in to public pressure on Saturday after he faced criticism from the locals as well as his party members itself. After 24 days of mismanagement, garbage was finally picked up and the municipality was cleaned. Locals thanked the mayor after garbage was finally cleared off the streets.

According to Clause 11 of the Local Government Operation Act 2074, rural municipalities and municipalities are responsible for keeping villages and cities clean, managing medical waste and local waste.

Waste produced from different health institutes, hotels, vegetable marts and local houses between Balan River in the east and Saraswati River to the west in the main highway of Lahan Municipality are disposed by locals in the highway itself. This waste is collected by cleaners and dumped in the landfill site situated in Lahan Municipality-4.