The landfill site at Anakha in Uesu Gewog of Haa has become a cause of concern for the villages nearby. The dumping yard, which is left without proper monitoring and management, has now become a scavenging place for cattle and dogs.
The overflowing dumping yard is filled with plastics, metals and all types of garbage. The people of Geyruna_ Karnag Chiwog claim more than 20 cows and oxen died in the last two years from the indigestible garbage that they fed on from the landfill.
“When we take our cattle for grazing above the landfill, they consume plastics and other wastes. Some of the cattle get choked with the garbage and die. We found plastics and metals from inside the carcasses,” Tshering Nidup, one of the villagers, said.
“The dumping yard should be properly managed. Without fencing, our cattle go there and eat all those indigestible wastes. They die because they are then not able to eat grass. Four of my cattle died,” Kencho Om, another villager, said.
Forestry officials and locals said the wind has aggravated the situation with wastes blown into the nearby forest.
“We collect dry leaves for cattle shed from the forest nearby the garbage disposal site. But now it is difficult with wastes littered in the forest,”Thinley Dorji, a villager. said.
“Without proper management of the landfill, we might even get sick,” Phub Gyeltshen, another villager, said.
The Department of Forests has asked the municipal office to properly manage the waste.
According to the Principal Engineer of the Dzongkhag Human Settlement Sector, Sangay Dakpa, said the landfill’s capacity for 10 years got over in 2016.
The office has been working to construct a new landfill area below the existing site.
“If it gets approved, we are going to construct a better landfill with fencing and a caretaker. We will also construct a gate so it can be properly monitored.”
At present, the office is waiting for clearance from the National Environment Commission and budget approval to build the new landfill.
The dzongkhag administration has proposed a budget of Nu 18 M in the current plan for the landfill construction.
