There was a time when one had to cover their noses to walk around Dhangadhi Bazaar due to the stench of garbage. Since the ‘Our Dhangadhi, Clean Dhangadhi’ campaign, the sight of garbage on the main road of the market has become almost an exception.

By the time Dhangadhi Bazaar wakes up in the morning, the garbage on the main roadside is gone. Waste has also become a source of income.

Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City earned Rs 2.5 million from waste collection and processing in the fiscal year 080/81. A year later, it earned Rs 7.2 million in 081/82. In the current fiscal year, a contract for waste collection has been awarded to the private sector for Rs 7.9 million. The contract has been taken by the Nandadevi Service Center. 

Ashok Awasthi, head of the sub-metropolitan city's environment, drinking water and sanitation management branch, says, "The contract amount increases by 10 percent every year." According to him, the center collects waste collection fees, income from processing, and fines collected as per the Sanitation Act. 

Waste management in Dhangadhi starts from the household level. Representatives of the company that has a contract with the sub-metropolitan city collect garbage at the doorsteps of residents of wards 1 to 8 and 13 of Dhangadhi every week. Only biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage is collected after separating it. According to the sub-metropolitan city, although there were some difficulties in the beginning, 95 percent of the residents have now developed the habit of separating garbage. Kailash Chand of Taranagar says, “The municipal vehicle arrives at the house every week. We have developed the habit of separating garbage.”

The garbage collection company mobilizes about 150 people a day. In addition, 10 sanitation facilitators from the sub-metropolitan city manage the cleanliness of roads, drains, community toilets, hospitals and other areas in the market area.

It is estimated that about 56 tons of garbage are generated daily in the sub-metropolitan city. Public participation in the cleanliness campaign has been promoted by forming sanitation committees in wards 1 to 8 and 13 of the market area. Awasthi informed that the sub-metropolitan city, which initially collected 56 tons of waste on its own, is now collecting 43 tons through private partners and 13 tons on its own after switching to the contract system.

With the aim of maximum reuse of waste, a micro-waste classification center and biogas plant have been brought into operation in Dhangadi-2 Saraswati Tole. Here, non-degradable waste is classified into plastic, iron, rubber, paper and lead-based materials and sold.

After the implementation of the contract system, the direct financial burden on the sub-metropolitan city in waste management has also decreased. Nine out of 19 wards send 21 tons of waste to the classification center daily. In the remaining 10 wards, dustbins are being placed in commercial centers and waste is being collected. The sub-metropolitan city says that the biogas plant, which is being operated in partnership with the sub-metropolitan city, Alternative Energy Promotion Center and Dev Training Center, consumes 18 tons of biodegradable waste daily. ‘60 cylinders of compressed natural gas are being produced daily from vegetable waste, food waste, rotten fruits, dung and chicken droppings. Two and a half tons of compost are also produced daily,’ said Awasthi.

Honoring those who help in waste management

Dhangadhi has considered the biggest basis for waste management to be developing the habit of not littering, rather than collecting waste. For that, the sub-metropolitan city has considered public awareness as the first step. Sanitation committees have been formed in neighborhoods from schools to communities. More than 400 sanitation committees are active across the city. 

The sub-metropolitan city understands that the main task is for the common citizen not to litter rather than collecting sanitation. ‘Dhangadi has achieved success in sanitation because of the support of the city residents,’ says Awasthi, ‘We have prioritized the work of making the city residents and visitors aware of not littering. For that, we have been doing regular miking and publicity work in the market area.’ 

The sub-metropolitan city imposes fines on those who litter in public places as per the law. According to Awasthi, Rs 650,000 was collected as fines last year. ‘According to the provisions of the law, a fine of Rs 500,000 to Rs 15,000 has been imposed on those who litter in public places,’ he said.

On the other hand, the sub-metropolitan city has been rewarding the sanitation committees, schools and eco clubs that do excellent work every year during its foundation day ceremony. On the foundation day of 080/81, the Adarsh ​​Tole Sanitation Committee of Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City 2 was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 million. Similarly, Behdababa Secondary School in Ward No. 16 and Rising Star English School in Ward No. 6 were awarded Rs 500,000 each.

Journey towards ‘Zero Waste’

Mayor Gopal Hamal is preparing to take the reuse and recycling of waste into a commercial model. ‘We are looking for a sustainable solution through a technology-based waste management system,’ says Mayor Hamal, ‘We have prioritized the creation of a legal framework for plastic ban, plastic bottle collection equipment, upgrading public toilets, solid waste management system and fecal sludge management.’

An integrated waste management center is under construction in Dhangadhi 7 Patela under the Government of Nepal’s Regional Urban Development Program. The sub-metropolitan city has stated that due to this effort, Dhangadhi has also been able to receive international recognition as a founding member of the ‘Zero Waste Network City’.

There are other good deeds

After Hamal was elected as the mayor by running as an independent candidate, the list of good deeds is long. Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City has been operating a free specialist ward clinic for poor families in each ward for one day a month since 2079 Shrawan. In the event of the death of a family member who is financially weak, the sub-metropolitan city provides cash assistance for the funeral expenses. 

The sub-metropolitan city team goes door-to-door and runs a snakebite prevention campaign. Greenery has been increased in the road area by planting trees. ‘Dhangarhi is the main center of the Far West,’ says local Mahendra Saud, ‘Dhangarhi has changed its face, it is becoming beautiful and attractive.’