ARGHAKHANCHI, Sept 24: The entrance of the district headquarters Sandhikhara has turned into a dumping site. Due to the lack of proper dumping space, the locals in and around Sandhikharka marketplace throw their wastes haphazardly at the entrance, calling it more a compulsion than a choice.
“Once this was a beautiful place; but it is no more so. There is no dumping site, so we have no choice than to leave our waste here. It is just the entrance to the headquarters," said a local of Sandhikharka, Yuvaraj Pandey. "This is our collective failure that we are doing this, disfiguring our own town. When you walk from there you have to close your nose and droop your head down. The foul smell and the ugly sight makes you feel like vomiting," he added.
Pandey further talked about health hazards due to the littering of the streets. "It could trigger different health issues. When it rains and then the earth dries, epidemics might take place," he said.
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The total human population of the headquarters is about 27,000 as per the data of the District Administration Office. But the only dumping site in the headquarters is Aluwakhola dumping site, which is too small and ill-managed.
There should be an option of a small dumping site near Aluwakhola River that flows along the Gorusinghe-Sandhikharks road, according to locals. Similarly, stray cows, dogs and other animals who feed on the wastes should be properly managed too, they stress.
"Animals, which roam around the garbage site can also bring different health hazards," said Pandey.
Meanwhile, mayor of Sandhikharka Municipality stated that a new dumping site is being considered. "We are trying to find a new dumping site. We have considered it in ward number three," he said. "But the locals are yet to be convinced," he added.
Locals of the ward have stated that they will not allow their place to be a dumping site.
