The government and the locals of Banchare Danda have reached an 11-point agreement.
The talks between the government and the Banchare Danda locals held at Singha Durbar on Thursday concluded with an 11-point agreement, News Agency Nepal reported.
According to the agreement, the government will immediately make a decision regarding the cases filed against the local residents in the past and communicate it to them. It will also write to the consultant company to prepare the environmental impact assessment report soon and obtain a written commitment for the same. The government will begin work to allocate the necessary budget for land acquisition based on the EIA report in the coming fiscal year.
Similarly, an understanding has been reached to write to Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to provide compensation for houses, sheds, and crops to Banchare Danda locals for the fiscal year 2025-26.
It has been decided that KMC will also provide compensation for houses, sheds, and crops to severely affected locals of the Banchare area within one month, based on the precedent set for the Sisidol-affected area, using current market rates.
Since garbage is being dumped outside the prepared capping layer by cutting nearby hills, leachate has been mixing directly into water sources, polluting the Kolpu River and severely affecting the locals’ livelihoods. According to the agreement, such activities will be stopped immediately, legal action will be taken against those responsible, and a team of experts will be formed within 15 days to conduct field inspections and propose long-term solutions for proper management of leachate.
Likewise, the agreement states that arrangements will be made within one month to provide free medical treatment for any illness to residents of the severely affected areas of Banchare and Sisdol at any government hospital within Kathmandu Metropolitan City through a special card or another mechanism. It has also been agreed to provide mandatory quota seats in schools and colleges in the Kathmandu Valley for children from these areas within one month.
Under the agreement, the municipalities that produce waste will present the agenda of providing employment opportunities for the affected individuals of Banchare landfill site at meetings called by the Mayors Forum or the relevant ministry. The two sides have agreed to request KMC to increase the 30 million rupees it has been providing to two municipalities to 60 million rupees each and also include Belkotgadhi Municipality in the coming fiscal year. The Ministry of Urban Development will request other waste-producing municipalities to also make mandatory contributions.
The government will prepare procedures to immediately provide relief to families of those who died from various diseases caused by the waste in Sisdol and Kudule Banchare Danda. According to the agreement, obstructions caused by the locals in transportation and disposal of waste will be lifted immediately. The government will also begin the required process this fiscal year to convert the Tinpiple-Kumari Galchi road construction into a multi-year project.
Locals of Banchare Danda have repeatedly protested, accusing the government of ignoring their demands.
Fifteen days ago, Minister for Urban Development Kulman Ghising visited the Banchare Danda landfill site and assured the locals that their demands would be addressed. However, with no progress made, the locals resumed their protest and blocked the transportation of Kathmandu’s waste once again.
