Khuruthang town in Punakha is growing and so is the waste. Indiscriminate waste dumping has created unpleasant surroundings in the town. Lack of proper waste management and a small garbage collector is what the residents are blaming about.
Our reporter, Choni Dema, said a tractor is deployed to collect garbage in Khuruthang every day. But, it has not been able to keep up with the town’s growing waste. Some of the residents said the garbage collector is too small and the volume of the waste is huge. “We are looking forward for a proper waste refuse compactor vehicle like in other Dzongkhags. Overflow of waste from the tractor litters the road. Sometimes the waste collector tractor breaks down and we have to push,” said Yeshi.
He added that the residents of Khuruthang need to learn more about waste management and need awareness on waste management.
The driver of a garbage collector Yanka said collecting waste in a small tractor has become a challenge. “Tractor is inconvenient for us, especially when the road is rough and bumpy most of the waste overflows. We dump our waste at Limbukha landfill, 4km away from Khuruthang town.”
He added the waste collection can be more efficient if the government provides bigger and better garbage trucks.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Engineer, Sangay, said due to lack of manpower in the municipal office managing waste has become difficult. “Right now we don’t have enough manpower and also we have a problem with the vehicle…. we don’t have other alternative vehicle to collect waste. We have been proposing budget since 2006 and till now it has not been approved.”
Sangay said that waste management should not be left to the municipal office alone. “Everybody should be equally responsible to keep the surroundings and the town clean and green,” she added.
