Simpani proposed as new dumping site

November 8, 2000
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SIMPANI, Makawanpur, Nov 8 – If the government is really concerned about the solid waste of the capital city, experts suggest, it should divert its attention towards the sites other than Okharpauwa and Syuchatar.

Experts and environmentalists looking for a more viable and feasible site to dump the capital’s trash on Tuesday showed an uninhabitated area, 16 km south west from the capital city, in Simpani Village Development Committee of Makawanpur district, to journalists.

They proposed that the government develop the site as the new dump site to manage the capital’s garbage. Surrounded by hills on all sides, this particular site is inhabited by eight families only and the entire surrounding area is so sparsely populated that chances of public outcry appear very remote.

About three years ago, SNV, an INGO, had undertaken a study in which it had recommended that Simpani could be an ideal site to dump Kathmandu Valley’s garbage from technical, environmental and economic points of view, according to Bharat Basnet, Managing Director of The Explore Nepal Group which organized the site exploration programme.

And more important, no road construction project to link the site is required to transport the garbage here; the ropeway service – Nepal’s only one which has remained dysfunctional for quite some years now – will drastically cut the time and money.

Impressed by the recommendations, Basnet so far has already gone on to forward proposals to the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister a month ago.

“Simpani is much better site than Okharpauwa,” said Yubraj Gurung, a civil engineer who was a member of the SNV study team. “It meets all the guidelines required for an ideal dump site which Okharpauwa doesn’t.”

He expressed surprise over the government’s move to select Okharpauwa even after IUCN (The World Conservation Union) following an on-site study came up with reports which concluded that Okharpauwa cannot be a suitable site.

The SNV report had recommended that both the bio-degradable and non bio-degradable would be initially dumped at Chovar – the Himal Cement Company limestones mines – until the Rs 1.75 billion project is complete. It will take three years to build necessary infrastructures – such as to make the ropeway re-operational and expansion works – for the dump site.

The waste would be taken to Simpani from Chovar via Matathirtha VDC using the eight kilometre rope-way – which needs to be constructed. If the project is undertaken, experts now say, the venture will not only reduce the quantity of garbage but also reutilize the Kathmandu-Hetauda ropeway.

The Explore Nepal Group’s Basnet says that the capital’s perennial garbage problem will find a way out if Simpani is selected as the dump site. “Simpani will face no problem like public protest faced by the Gokarna land fill site,” he says.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said Wednesday evening that the site is very far away from the capital besides being very expensive.

“According to the proposal, Himal Cement Factory has to be closed down displacing labourers which is a loss to the Nation,” Poudel said. “Only submitting a proposal will not do. We need reasonable arguments justifying why Simpani is comparatively a better option?” he added.