Sakteng in Trashigang, which once boasted of rich, untouched wilderness, is now facing an increasing concern about waste management. The community, now connected with road networks, is seeing an increasing number of shops adding to the waste management issues. The Sakteng Gewog Administration’s new landfill with proper fencing is expected to address the issue.
Managing waste, especially plastic, is becoming a concern for the community. Every month, residents organise cleaning campaigns, collecting about 600 kilogrammes of trash.
While recyclable items such as bottles and tins are sold for cash, plastic waste remains a major challenge. Most of it ends up in a temporary landfill near the village.
However, the old landfill, which has been in use for over five years, is now full.
Moreover, the landfill lacks proper fencing, allowing animals such as dogs and crows to scatter the waste.
“I produce more waste as I have a shop. We used to dump trash at the landfill, which is located near our village. However, I think we should not dump waste at the landfill because we receive guests, and the site is an eyesore without proper fencing. It will be better if we have a landfill away from the village,” said Karma Yangzom, a resident of Sakteng Gewog.
“We collect waste in our village once a month because of which the place looks much cleaner. However, some are not mindful about dumping their waste at designated landfills. This is polluting the environment. I have heard that even tourists who come for sightseeing are not pleased with the poor waste management practice here,” said Leki Phuntsho, another resident of the gewog.
Residents say they cannot burn waste due to their belief that burning plastics will offend their local deity, Ama Jomo, and consequently lead to disaster in their community.
To address the issue, the gewog administration constructed a new landfill with fencing, accessible by road, a few months ago.
The landfill, located nearly two kilometres from the village, can be used for around ten years. The new landfill, along with the road, was constructed with a budget of Nu 1.8 M.
The new landfill is expected to improve sanitation for around 300 households in Sakteng Gewog and provide a sustainable solution for waste management.
Sonam Darjay, Trashigang
Edited by Phub Gyem
