The Asian Development Bank is expected to pull out of the Rs 270 million waste management project in Butwal after the sub-metrop­olis failed to make use of the money. The concessional loan was to be used for waste man­agement, a drinking water project and construction of a model village. As Butwal failed to make use of the funds, even after two extensions of the implementation deadline, the Manila-based bank is all set to pull out on December 31.The centerpiece of the pro­posed project was a waste treatment center at Charange. But the sub-metropolis had been unable to start construc­tion due to the opposition of the locals who were deter­mined not to allow anyone to pollute their area.

According to the ADB proj­ect’s Butwal unit manager Sikhar Lama Tamang, even without the opposition from the locals, the sub-metropolis was finding it hard to handle the project. Hence it will now try to explore other private public partnership options.

ADB’s new regulations for waste management are tough. The locals have to be unani­mous in their support for such a project. Even a single objec­tion could potentially sink it.

Ward Chairman of Butwal-7 Kamal Pratap Thapa said that some private organizations have already proposed to establish a waste management center if land was made avail­able to them.

There had been discussions between Charange locals and Butwal sub-metropolis even in the absence of people’s repre­sentatives. After the local elec­tions, in a last-ditch attempt to convince them, the sub-met­ropolitan had even proposed to take the inhabitants of Charange to India where they would inspect a modern water processing center. The pro­posal was rejected.