Chhimi Dema 

Thimphu residents often called for timely waste and more frequent waste collection. In the peri-urban areas, there were no waste collection services leading to littering and overflowing.

To better manage waste, Thimphu Thromde and Greener Way signed an agreement to collect waste from the peri-urban areas regularly. 

Starting April 1, the waste collection in Thimphu has expanded to areas beyond the city limits.

Previously, three waste companies collected waste from the Thimphu Thromde areas, and did not collect from Ngabiphu, Kabesa, Khasadrapchu, Jemena, and Gidakom areas on the outskirts of the thromde.

Waste collection is also increased from two to three times weekly in the pilot phase. 




Chairperson of the Waste Management Committee, Karma Yonten, also the head of the Office of Performance Management under His Majesty’s Secretariat, said during the pilot drive, thromde would closely monitor the services of Greener Way. It will be paid based on its performance.

“This is to ensure timely and efficient delivery of services,” he said.

Greener Way would be monitored on performance metrics such as the timing of collection based on GPS, response time to complaints, code of conduct during the collection, operation and maintenance of garbage trucks, and cleanliness of the drop-off centres, among others.

At Greener Way’s material recovery centre, two de-suups would collect data on the type and amount of waste generated every day.

Karma Yonten said that the data would determine the type and quantity of waste being generated to build on current initiatives to improve waste management.




“Waste knows no boundaries so we are trying to look at the waste issue in the country holistically,” he added.

The dzongkhag administration had to make arrangements to collect waste previously by paying private waste collectors Nu 300 a month.

Greener Way’s founder, Karma Yonten, said that the company submitted its proposal to improve the overall waste management in Thimphu.

“By covering Thimphu dzongkhag and thromde, we are taking responsibility for the waste management in these areas,” he said.




A tender would be floated this month for the operation of waste collection in Thimphu after the pilot phase ends in June. 

Karma Yonten said that they expected the first week to be challenging but it has been smooth. He said that the performance metric system allows the company to further improve their service. “If we are not doing a proper job it is right to deduct our payment.”