KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ordered key government officials, including secretaries from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Forests and Environment, to discuss the ongoing waste management issues in the Kathmandu Valley.
A joint bench of Justices Dr Kumar Chundal and Mahesh Sharma Poudel issued the order today in response to separate writ petitions filed by Advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha and Advocate Bikram Mishra on behalf of Effort Lab.
The petition lists the Government of Nepal, the Ministry of Forests and Environment, and other agencies as defendants.
The court has summoned the Chief Secretary, the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, the Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, the Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the Chief Secretary of the Bagmati Province Government, a Joint Secretary overseeing local levels, a Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Urban Development, and the Chief Administrative Officers of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, and Bhaktapur Municipality.
They are scheduled to appear on March 24 for a detailed discussion on the matter.
The court order highlights the need for dialogue on waste collection and disposal, particularly the management of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. It also calls for an assessment of existing challenges, potential solutions, and the formulation of long-term waste management strategies at the central, provincial, and local levels.
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