Minister Kulman Ghising Visits Bancharedanda After Waste Pile-Up, Pledges to Address Demands Within 15 Days

After locals halted waste disposal for five consecutive days, Minister for Urban Development Kulman Ghising and senior government officials visited Bancharedanda, Nuwakot, on Sunday. The minister inspected the landfill site located in Kakani Rural Municipality–1, which serves as the primary dumping ground for the Kathmandu Valley’s waste.

Locals had blocked the disposal of garbage from Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kavre, accusing the government of ignoring earlier commitments made to the affected communities. The ongoing disruption had left garbage collection and management in the Valley paralyzed.

Minister Ghising’s visit was prompted by repeated calls from locals and stakeholders demanding direct dialogue at the affected site. During his field inspection, the minister held interactions with residents, local representatives, and concerned authorities to discuss the ongoing waste management crisis.

Commitment to Resolve Issues Within 15 Days

According to Nuwakot Chief District Officer Shashidhar Ghimire, Minister Ghising assured locals that the government would fulfill their previous demands within 15 days. Following the assurance, waste disposal resumed at Bancharedanda from Sunday afternoon.

The landfill, located in eastern Nuwakot, is the main dumping site for the Kathmandu Valley’s solid waste. A meeting held three days earlier between government representatives and local residents had ended without any agreement.

Government–Local Dialogue After Waste Blockade

After locals stopped garbage trucks from entering Bancharedanda on Wednesday, the Ministry of Urban Development had called for a meeting on Friday with representatives from Kakani Rural Municipality, Belkotgadhi Municipality, Dhunibeshi Municipality, and other stakeholders.

However, the talks ended inconclusively after local leaders demanded the presence of the Urban Development Minister, Kathmandu Mayor, and Finance Ministry officials. Locals claimed that the government had failed to implement previous written agreements.

In response, Minister Ghising personally visited Bancharedanda on Sunday to address the demands in person. During the discussions, local residents and representatives raised concerns over unresolved issues persisting for the past two decades, including the relocation of affected households and the withdrawal of public cases filed against protesters during past demonstrations.

Locals Warn of Renewed Protest if Promises Not Implemented

Locals warned that they would continue blocking garbage trucks unless their demands were implemented.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Bikram Lama, Sunday’s meeting took place at the affected site itself after previous negotiations had failed to reach a conclusion.

Residents argued that Kathmandu Metropolitan City had not honored the 18-point agreement signed in 2022 (2079 BS). The discussion included several officials:

• Kakani Rural Municipality Chair Suman Tamang Sajjan
• Dhunibeshi Municipality Mayor Bal Krishna Acharya
• Nuwakot CDO Shashidhar Ghimire
• Dhading CDO Bijay Raj Subedi
• Kathmandu CDO Ishwar Raj Poudel
• Chief Administrative Officer of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Saroj Guragain
• Local representatives from the Bancharedanda area

Five Days of Waste Pile-Up in the Capital

For the past five days, trucks carrying garbage from Kathmandu had been stranded along the route, unable to reach the landfill site. Although several agreements had been signed between locals and the metropolitan authorities in the past, implementation remained incomplete, leading to repeated disruptions.

The Sisdole–Bancharedanda area has long been the center of conflict between local residents and the government over waste management. Residents accuse the government and Kathmandu Metropolitan City of failing to fulfill commitments made during previous negotiations.

During Sunday’s meeting, locals again warned of halting waste disposal if the earlier agreements were not implemented and if a long-term waste management solution was not introduced within 15 days.

Kakani Ward 1 Chair Padam Bahadur Balami said the area has become unbearably polluted and residents are suffering from various health problems due to prolonged exposure to waste and foul odor.