Residents of Udayapur district are suffering from growing health risks and daily discomfort due to unmanaged dumping sites located dangerously close to human settlements. Among the eight local units in the district—four municipalities and four rural municipalities—none has a properly managed landfill site.

In Triyuga Municipality, garbage collected from Gaighat and surrounding areas is dumped at Bisanpur in ward 12, near the Triyuga river. Unfortunately, the dumping ground is situated in the middle of densely populated neighbourhoods, affecting areas like Bisanpur, Sonapur, Tribenitole, Ekatatole, Sisaughari and Khaijanpur. The residents of these areas are fed up with the foul odour, risk of disease, and environmental damage.

Although the municipality has proposed relocating the dumping site, waste continues to be dumped in the current residential area. Locals report an increase in health issues. “The smell is unbearable. We have to eat with our noses covered, we can’t sleep at night, and even working in the fields has become difficult,” said Prathamlal Chaudhary, a resident of Triyuga Municipality. “We’ve met the mayor multiple times demanding proper waste management, but nothing has changed,” he added.

Manju Rai, chairperson of the Trivenitole Development Committee, reported a rise in cases of diarrhoea, fever and skin diseases in the community. She attributed the spread to an increase in flies, mosquitoes and animals like stray dogs, pigs and rats, which rummage through the solid waste. Birds, too, carry trash from the site to nearby homes, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

Vibhishan Das, another local resident, recounted their meetings with municipal officials. “The mayor promised to spray disinfectants and cover the waste with soil every two weeks, but so far, nothing has been done,” he said. According to residents, five tractors and two tipper trucks dump garbage in Bisanpur on a daily basis.

Mayor of Triyuga Municipality Basanta Kumar Basnet admitted the problem and stated that a new site at Phuljhor in ward 13 is being considered. However, identifying suitable land away from settlements has delayed the relocation.

Residents of Gaighat also face problems due to unmanaged drainage. Locals often dispose of waste in open drains, resulting in a foul-smelling marketplace. Sewage from Gaighat is discharged directly into the Triyuga river, which flows near Baruwa Campus. Students complain that they cannot concentrate in class due to the stench. “The drain passes right in front of our campus and flows into the river. It’s impossible to sit through lectures,” said Abhishek Thapa Magar, secretary of the Baruwa Campus student’s union. “We submitted an application to the mayor months ago, but nothing has changed,” he added.

The dumping and drainage problems are not limited to Triyuga. In Katari Municipality, a dumping site was set up at Rajabas in ward 3. However, locals opposed it due to its proximity to homes. In response, municipal officials and local stakeholders inspected the site in August 2024. Though they pledged to find a more suitable location, no progress has been made.

Residents have frequently obstructed garbage-transporting vehicles, complaining that the dumping of solid waste near the riverbank has made their village unlivable.

Chaudandigadhi Municipality also faces similar issues. It currently manages waste at Dwarakhola in ward 6. However, the site is not officially designated as a dumping ground. Locals have demanded a dedicated site, citing growing odour and health hazards. Mayor Kaluman Lama said the municipality is considering developing a dumping site at Jyamire in ward 9, to manage the waste produced in the markets of wards 6 and 7.

Similarly, Belaka Municipality is also managing waste temporarily in open land at Rampur in ward 9. Deputy Mayor Jira Rai said that the search for a permanent dumping site is ongoing.

Across Udayapur, poor waste and sewage management continue to threaten public health and degrade the living environment. While local governments acknowledge the crisis and have made promises, effective action and long-term solutions are yet to be materialised.