SC orders Kakani Rural Municipality not to collect tax on Kathmandu's waste management

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday issued an interim order asking Kakani Rural Municipality of Nuwakot to not implement its decision to impose tax on waste management from the Kathmandu Valley.

A bench of Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada made such an order stating that collecting tax on waste is against the Article 228 (2) and 236 of the Constitution of Nepal, the Waste Management Act, 2068, and the Local Government Operation Act, 2074.

Earlier on July 4, Kakani Rural Municipality had decided to collect Rs 1,000 each for a small truck and Rs 1,500 each for a large size carrier for disposing waste at Bancharedanda Landfill Site.

Justice Khatiwada has also ordered Kakani Rural Municipality not to implement its decision and put it on hold until the final hearing on the petition adding that implementation of such decision would add to complexities on waste management.

The Solid Waste Management Association of Nepal had filed the petition at the SC challenging the decision of Kakani Rural Municipality.