Niranjan Sharma, KATHMANDU, March 28
If all goes as planned by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC),
the Capital city may soon wear a cleaner look. The metropolis is all set to
boost public participation in keeping the city clean by introducing a campaign
“Clean Kathmandu-Our Kathmandu.” The metropolitan city aims to deploy 10,000
volunteers every day for the week-long campaign beginning April 6 in the first
phase. The entire metropolitan city area of 50.67 square km has been targeted
for the drive. A 5-km radius of each side of the Bishnumati and Bagmati rivers
will also be cleaned by volunteers with the help of excavators. Waste generated by
hotels, hospitals, schools, colleges and households will be managed by the
volunteers. They will further teach people on how to go about doing that.
Members of local clubs, NGOs, students, teachers,
KMC and government officials from other sectors, entrepreneurs, political
leaders, KMC’s clubs, civil society members and individuals will volunteer for
the campaign from 6.30-10 in the mornings for seven days. The first of its
kind, the campaign will focus on making people aware about provisions in the
Solid Waste Management Act (SWMA)-2011, KMC’s Executive Chief Kedar Bahadur
Adhikari said. According to the Act, one can be fined up to Rs 100,000 and
handed down a three-year jail term if found polluting the environment. Adhikari
said the KMC will provide the logistics and vehicles for the campaign, while
the Ministry of Local Development will bear the other costs.
Officials said the drive will change the mindset of
the people who think their duty is over once they dump the waste on the
streets. They said it will help instill a sense of responsibility among the
masses.
“The KMC will be monitoring the implementation of
the Act for six months after the campaign and deploy volunteers to see to it
that the practice of keeping the city clean becomes people’s habit,” KMC Chief
Kedar Bahadur Adhikari said. “After the campaign, those littering the city
streets will be booked as per the law.” The metropolis also said the second
phase of the campaign will be begin on October 17 this year and end on Oct 1,
2013.
Source: E-Kantipur.com
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