Indore model: A blueprint for Kathmandu’s waste crisis

On Nov 15, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balendra Shah’s Facebook post laid bare the frustrations of managing Kathmandu’s waste crisis. “We talked a lot about Kathmandu’s garbage before the election. We told you about our plan,” he wrote, detailing the exhaustive search for solutions. His words resonated with a city drowning in its own waste, searching for a sustainable path forward.

The scale of this crisis is staggering. Every day, Kathmandu generates over 1,200 metric tons of waste, with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) alone contributing about 500 metric tons. Even more concerning, approximately 15 percent of this waste remains uncollected, littering our streets and waterways. Our rivers—once sacred lifelines of the valley—have become convenient dumping grounds. The Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Tukucha bear silent testimony to our collective failure.

Kathmandu’s Landfill Crisis

The situation at our landfill sites tells a story of poor planning and mounting challenges. The Sisdol landfill, operational since 2005, was meant to be a temporary solution but has been overburdened for 17 years. Its successor, the Banchare Danda landfill, opened in Sept 2021 with a capacity of holding three million cubic meters of waste, but already faces significant challenges. Designed to handle only residual waste (25-30 percent), it currently receives around 60-65 percent of total municipal solid waste due to inadequate treatment and recycling facilities.

Meanwhile, residents near these landfills bear the brunt of our negligence, their ‘paradise turned into hell’ by our waste. They’ve repeatedly protested, demanding promised amenities like a 50-bed hospital, free ambulance services, and job opportunities. Their struggle highlights the human cost of Kathmandu’s waste crisis.

The Indore model

Amidst this crisis, the Indore model emerges as a beacon of hope. This central Indian city’s transformation offers more than inspiration—it provides a practical blueprint for urban waste management. With a population of approximately 2.5m and daily waste generation of 1,115 metric tons (remarkably similar to Kathmandu’s figures), Indore achieved what many deemed impossible. Through systematic implementation of a six-category waste segregation system, the city now processes 100 percent of its waste with zero landfill dependency.

The cornerstone of Indore’s success lies in its comprehensive approach to infrastructure development. The city deployed 850 GPS-equipped waste collection vehicles, each designed with segregated compartments to maintain waste separation from source to processing. Strategic transfer stations were established across the city, ensuring efficient waste movement from collection points to processing facilities. Most importantly, these facilities were fully operational before the city began enforcing strict segregation rules, ensuring a smooth transition to the new system.

Enforcement and incentives formed the second pillar of Indore’s transformation. The city implemented a strict non-collection policy for unsegregated waste, coupled with modest fines starting from just Rs 100 for non-compliance. However, the focus wasn’t just on punishment—neighborhoods achieving 100 percent segregation received public recognition and priority for development projects, creating a positive competitive spirit among communities.

Perhaps most crucial was the cultural transformation driven by the ‘Swachhata Didis’ (cleanliness sisters) program. These trained waste workers became community educators, conducting door-to-door visits to demonstrate proper segregation techniques and explain the environmental impact of mixed waste. Through regular community meetings, school programs, and extensive social media engagement, waste management became a matter of civic pride rather than a mere obligation. This shift in mindset was perhaps the most important aspect that made it all possible.

The economic benefits of this transformation have been remarkable. Today, Indore powers 15 city buses daily with biogas generated from waste. Plastic waste finds new life in road construction, while composting operations generate revenue and create employment opportunities. What was once a financial burden has become a source of sustainable income for the city.

Adapting the model for Kathmandu

While Indore’s success inspires, implementing their model in Kathmandu requires careful adaptation to our unique context. Our city’s topography poses challenges for waste collection logistics, while coordination among multiple municipalities adds administrative complexity. The need for sustainable funding mechanisms and integration of the existing informal waste sector presents additional hurdles.

Yet these challenges aren’t insurmountable. The path forward begins with pilot projects in select wards where good access and strong community engagement provide fertile ground for success. Ward committees can be transformed into waste management cells, while waste workers can be elevated to the status of community educators, following Indore’s successful model.

The path forward

This is where the #FohorAbaMero movement becomes crucial. It should represent more than a social media campaign—it should be a fundamental shift in how we view our relationship with waste. Every household in Kathmandu must embrace waste segregation and take responsibility for their waste generation. Bringing the Indore model to Kathmandu does not mean setting up expensive factories or GPS-based trucks, but a shift—a crucial one—in our mindset. The Indore model’s success is derived from the ideology it holds. When we see illegal dumping, we must speak up. When our community organizes a cleanup, we must participate. When our neighbors seek guidance on waste segregation, we must become their teachers

The transformation of Kathmandu begins with individual action but succeeds through collective impact. Each piece of waste we generate is our responsibility. Mayor Shah’s vision can succeed, but only if we, the residents of Kathmandu, decide to change. Every small action contributes to the larger goal of a cleaner, healthier city.

A call to action

The choice before us is clear. Will we continue to be part of the problem, or will we join a movement of responsible citizens saying #FohorAbaMero? Kathmandu’s future hangs in the balance, and our next action could tip the scales.

Let’s make ‘FohorAbaMero’ our way of life. Because ultimately, the transformation of Kathmandu doesn’t depend on Mayor Shah, the federal government, or private companies. It depends on each of us accepting that every piece of waste we generate is our responsibility. Together, we can turn the tide. Together, we can make Kathmandu clean again.