Five years have elapsed since a modern organic fertilizer and biogas plant was established at Solma, Okharbote at Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality-2 in Khotang district but much to the dismay of the local residents, the facility remains inactive till date.
The plant was set up with the cost of around Rs 50 million with special subsidy of the federal government and investment from the local municipality. It was inaugurated with much fanfare in 2077 BS by the then Chief Minister (Sherdhan Rai) of then Province no 1 (currently Koshi Province) with the goal of processing waste collected from Diktel Bazaar and nearby areas into usable products and thereafter generate 'wealth' from 'waste'.
The establishment of the plant, which has capacity to produce 1,000 kg of fertilizer per hour, had brought cheers to the local residents. The project had garnered their support for the Municipality to become 'Organic Municipality' and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. Now that the plant lies idle and gathers dust instead of becoming a facility for recycling the waste, the local residents are very much disappointed by the plant's condition.
Alongside it, a biogas plant was also installed to generate biogas from waste and convert it into CNG gas, which could then be distributed to consumers in cylinders similar to the LPG gas cylinders. Despite these ambitious plans, both facilities are left abandoned.
The Municipality, which consists of 15 wards, had envisioned the project as both an environmental initiative and a source of internal revenue. However, the prolonged inactivity of the both plants has led to growing criticism of the current Municipal leadership. Frustrated locals these days take to social media to share images of the idle facilities and question why the Municipality has failed to bring the project into operation even after five years of its establishment.
Irate locals caution that the nearly Rs 50 million invested from the State's coffer could go in waste if immediate action is not taken. Ganga Bahadur Bishwokarma, a local resident, who donated six ropani of land free of cost for the project, expressed displeasure over the situation.
The plan was for the Municipality to distribute and market the fertilizer through dealers, recalled Bishwokarma, ranting, "Five years have passed since the inauguration but the current people's representatives neither show preparation nor do they have a plan in place to run both plants."
He shared that much of the equipment and decorative materials installed at the facility are deteriorating and warned that they may no longer be used again.