Finding a place to dump their waste is no longer an issue for the people of Dramedtse Gewog in Monggar. This is because the gewog office recently improved and extended the old landfill site which was filled with waste. The gewog also initiated a monthly cleaning campaign six years ago and is now planning to start collecting waste on a monthly basis from the Chiwogs starting July.
The eight-meter-long landfill for the five Chiwogs of Dramedtse Gewog was built at a cost of Nu 500,000 along with an approach road. It can now accommodate the Chiwog’s waste up to 20 years from now.
Before the landfill was extended, dumping waste became a challenge with increasing household waste.
‘‘All five chiwogs have repeatedly raised the issue of not having a landfill to dump their waste to the Gewog office. Because of this, we have decided to make a new one. We don’t have a landfill for the chiwogs and central Dramedtse. That’s why we have extended the landfill this year,” said Rinchen, Mangmi, Dramedtse Gewog.
The landfill is located about 12 kilometres away from Dramedtse town. It has already started benefitting the people.
“It has benefited us a lot. Earlier, we had to burn waste around our house. Now we can pack in sacks without throwing them all around and take them there. In the past, waste was scattered everywhere. Now we take waste in the landfill site when there is a vehicle,” said Karma Zangmo, a resident.
‘‘When there was no place to dump the waste, people used to throw waste everywhere like on the roads and around houses. Because of this, we have initiated to make the new landfill,” said Naku, Tshogpa of Zangkhar Chiwog.
The Gewog office will now sensitise people on waste management. Once the sensitisation programme is over, the gewog will start penalising people throwing waste in open spaces. The Gewog also has plans to fence the site once an adequate budget becomes available.
The landfill will benefit more than 500 households including business entities in the Gewog.
Karma Wangdi, Monggar
Edited by Kipchu
