Public Participation in Sustainable Solid Waste Management: A case study of “Thamel” Kathmandu Metropolitan city

Why am I interested in this particular field of study?
I have been deeply motivated towards studying the problems and issues pertaining to solid waste management due to the opportunity I received in 2005 working with Dr. Mohan B. Dangi, an Assistant Professor of Geography at California State University (CSU), Fresno. It was an Environmental Research and Education Foundation funded project of the Johns Hopkins University in Kathmandu, Nepal examining solid waste.   I was selected to participate in both the pilot- and field-scale studies of waste management analysis conducted in Kathmandu among other Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University faculty and students.  This study critically analyzed the various aspects of the possible causes of the mismanagement and inefficiencies that lead to solid waste mangament inn crisis in Kathmandu.  It also analyzed the various efforts by  Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Kathmandu Metropolitan city (KMC) and the Government of Nepal (GoN) itself that attempted to solve the solid waste management crises since 1980s to date.  The purpose of the study was to understand waste generation, characterization, and management practices; examine institutional structures applied to manage waste; discover the resources employed; probe governance at the national and local levels of government; and to scrutinize foreign aid in waste management in Kathmandu to determine the drivers of persistent failure (Dangi, 2009).  The other major studies conducted so far pertaining to  solid waste management of Kathmandu are Thapa G. B and Devkota (1999), Tuladhar B. (2003) and JICA(2005).  However, none of these studies assessed the crucial role of the public participation in handling the solid waste management in Kathmandu.  Therefore, I am very much interested in studying the role of public participation in solid waste management in Kathmandu with particular focus on the “Thamel Area.”  It is a major tourist hub of Kathmandu city and the proper management of solid waste in this area is very crucial for both local and foreign people who come to stay here for shorter or longer periods.  Public participation is very essential in every stage of solid waste management practices such as   waste separation at the household level, taking the waste to nearest collection center, involvement in community based composting programs, recycling and involvement in site selection process for new landfill site as a last option.  

Why is this Big Problem in Thamel, Kathmandu ?

The pictures speak more than words

Solid waste managment crisis in Kathmandu-2009

Tourist smiles-seeing the holy cow on the garbage near by Thamel

Some of the Solid Waste Managment Practices in Thamel, Kathmandu.

The study attempts to answer the following research questions.

1. Has public participation played a vital role in proper solid waste management (SWM) in Kathmandu City?

2. Is public participation a major factor to address the current SWM crisis in Kathmandu?
3. Do the solid waste management practices in Kathmandu lack public participation in their decision making processes?

4.  What hinders the effective implementation of solid waste management practices in Kathmandu?  Is it due to lack of public participation or people’s ignorance of their role?
National News Agency:
IMPACTS:

2010-04-25 11:32 PM

Last Updated At: 2010-04-26 4:28 PM

KATHMANDU: Lack of proper garbage management system has left tourism entrepreneurs of Thamel disappointed ahead of the Nepal Tourism Year 2011. They fear that Nepal's image will further erod in international market if authorities concerned continue to neglect the garbage management problem. "More tourists are coming. But the scenes of garbage piled up elsewhere in Thamel is sending negative message among tourists," said Madan Acharya, a tourism entrepreneur operating a travel and trekking agency in Thamel. "Like other places in the Kathmandu Valley, the politics of garbage has not spared Thamel -- the most famous tourist hub in the Valley," he added. "Thamel's image as a tourist hub in the capital is declining due to lacking garbage management system," another tourism entrepreneur Rabi Adhikari also said. Most of the entrepreneurs agree that garbage is the biggest problem. However, chief of environment section of Kathmandu Metropolis Rabin Man Shrestha said garbage problem will stay as fresh trashes are dumped on the old piles. Besides garbage dumps, narrow and poorly maintained roads and inadequate water supply are other problems hurting Thamel. So far tourist flow has remained unaffected except bandhs and transport strikes.
Some of the impacts:

Impact on Health-Traffic Jam,Core of Thamel

Note: Photos: Various Sources

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What makes People Happy?

There is no exact definition of Happiness.

A friend of mine   5 years back in Nepal   won the lottery- a car  worth 15 lakhs. He sold that car as he thought cash was more valuable than the asset as such. He appeared to be a good man with a good character. Of the many types of people who might have won, his friends were happy. After two years of this event, he was found all the time drunk found enaged in drug business. The arrests continued over the next few years. The excitement of winning lottery did not grow into a life long happiness.

Happiness is an emotion:

Happiness is not merely a life lived by accumulating moments of pleasure. On the contrary, happiness is a long lasting enduring enjoyment of life, it is being in love with living. It is your reward for achieving a good  and personal rational values  in life. Some important values are a productive career, friendship,individual romance and hobbies, meeting new people and able to cope with new culture and people.

Happiness is individual:
What makes you happy may not necessarily make others happy. Every individual have their own definition of Happiness.

Life in Nepal Vs America

Engaged in Service to Community

It may be too early for me to make any particular judgments and comparison on life in  Nepal and America as it just been a month that stepped in US of A. These are just some of my initial  thoughts and perceptions that developed within me long these 30 days of stay at Laramie, Wyoming.
America is a land of opportunities they say..at the same time we cannot ignore our country Nepal..which has lots of potentials opportunities too. wherever we are its the individual capacity to capture those opportunities that come up with challenges..the difference is that in America people take chance of every opportunities with challenges as part of fun in Life ..in contrast people in Nepal they see the opportunities as challenges before they get hold of  them. This is the major reason I feel that  Nepal  has not progressed so much that it could have.
In America, system works..in Nepal and others SouthAsian Countries, Systems are meant for breaking..the one who breaks the system is his/her heroism. in those countries.
However, the life in Nepal, the way the life is all about, has a profound impact of  long lived culture and traditions.The unique of mosaic of Unity in Diversity is a symbol that differentiates from other countries in the region. They have more sense of service to community in particular and humanity at large.

Life in Americas-An individual progress

Every culture is rich in its own. So everyone is rich in terms of their values and integrity. People do think for service to community and society.
Life in America is focused to Individualism. Individual progress is what counted in life. That is also cool because nation comprises of people, and when every individual think of their own progress, nation progresses too. At the same time, there could be some people  in America who also contribute to  the society.but, their work is rarley higlighted.
However, nations goals and objectives may be different than those of individuals..individuals wants and desires are unlimited. and may not benefit to nation in general.but nations goals are to some extent confined and achievable too, usually are for the sake of individuals who reside in a particular nation.
I disagree with people who say that Life in America is Complex..what makes it complex is ignorance..if u are smart enough..its as simple as like clicking the mouse tab at the tip of your finger. At the same time, The Life in Nepal may be complex for those do not know how to deal the issues in Nepal...so its thoughts and perspective how an  individual take each issue as.

Bottom line:  "Enjoy your life wherever you are and Be happy with what you are doing."