BUTWAL, Dec 26: Butwal sub-metropolis in Rupandehi district has taken initiative to construct modern waste processing center that has been stalled for long due to obstructions from local communities.
The center is said to have potential to become a model waste processing unit of the country. The government had signed agreements with contractors several times within the last seven years. However, the project remained stalled and the sub-metropolis took the initiative to revive the project again.
The metropolis representatives are holding discussions with the opposing locals of Charange of Devdaha Municipality. It is said that the outcome of the discussions has been positive so far. The locals were not aggressive unlike before, according to the officials.
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“We are continuously putting efforts to make the project a big success. As per the plan, interactive discussions with locals are going in positive direction,” informed chief of Butwal sub-metropolis Shiva Subedi.
The sub-metropolis is trying to convince the agitating locals that the waste processing center would be modern and hence will not pose negative effects to the communities.
The processing center is being constructed under 'Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project (IUEIO)' across five hectors of land inside Shivanagar Community Forest area of Butwal sub-metropolis-9.
The construction is supposed to being on January 2010 and complete by December 2015. However, the local community there has been opposing the project stating that it would create severe pollution, which is why the project has remained stalled for long. The project's deadline has been extended twice already.
According to Shikhar Man Tamang, chief of the implementation unit of IUEIO, many locals are in confusion regarding landfill site and waste processing unit. “Many people in the community think we are constructing landfill site as they do not know what waste processing unit is. This misunderstanding and lack of awareness has led to the obstruction.”
Tamang said they are trying to clear the misunderstanding and gain support of the community to move the construction ahead.
