Neten Dorji

Mongar—Residents living in the outskirts of Mongar town are grappling with waste management issues due to lack of waste collection facilities.

Left with no choice, many villagers often dump their waste near homes, shops, or along roadsides. Civil servants living in the outskirts often carry waste to dispose of in town.

This practice inadvertently leads to scattered trash by stray dogs, creating an eyesore and stench, raising hygiene concerns.

Tshering Wangmo, a 47-year-old resident of Redaza, located a few kilometres from Mongar town, said that people often resort to burning the waste in the field. “But many have stopped doing this because of health and environmental risks, which leads to piling of trash.”

The increase in waste from Mongar town has become overwhelming, straining both residents and the dzongkhag administration.

According to the data from ‘We Care, Solid Management’, a private waste management firm, Mongar town generates more than 28.5 metric tonnes of dry waste every month, all of which are dumped at the Konbar Landfill, about eight kilometres away from town.

The littering issue extends beyond residential areas. Locals report that degradable waste in plastic bags becomes unhygienic, emitting foul odors, while non-degradable waste like plastic bottles and glass litter highways.

This public littering has posed a major challenge for the Mongar Dzongkhag administration’s efforts to keep the surroundings and highways clean.

A health official expressed concern over the public’s attitude toward waste management. “Many residents, shopkeepers, and building owners only focus on keeping their immediate surroundings clean but neglect areas beyond,” he said.

“Waste management is a collective responsibility,” he added, stressing the need for long-term, collaborative efforts.

Residents living in the outskirts of town are now calling for solutions.

A local resident, Pema suggested establishing waste drop-off centres outside the town or arranging monthly waste collection by vehicles. “The waste, especially dry waste, piles up quickly and takes up a lot of space,” he said.

Private employee Tashi Dorji said that waste drop off centres would be particularly useful for office-goers and people from nearby villages. “We also need to promote waste reduction at the source to lessen the amount of trash ending up in landfills.”

The owner of ‘We Care Solid Management’, Tshueltrim Pelden, agrees with the concerns about the waste problem outside the town. “We plan to expand waste collection services to areas outside the town core at minimal charges,” he said.

He also stressed on the importance of waste segregation at source. “This would help extend the life of the landfill.”

His firm recovers 13 to 15 metric tonnes of waste from the landfill every month.

Mongar Dzongdag Lungten Jamtsho acknowledged the residents’ requests for waste drop-off centres. “While waste management in the town has improved, keeping the highways clean remains a challenge,” he said.

He said that the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations in the town will help reduce littering in the future.

All 15 gewogs in Mongar observe zero-waste hours to collect waste and manage waste.