The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has ordered the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and all sub-metropolitan cities and municipalities to take action against anyone who throws trash from moving vehicles as per Solid Waste Management Act, 2011 .
The ministry issued a statement directing municipalities to arrest the passenger along with vehicle staffers and take action against them under the existing laws, if they were found throwing trash from a vehicle.
The municipal authorities have also been asked to make the names of such persons public. The law has stipulated a provision of punishing a litter lout with a fine of up to Rs 50,000 or an imprisonment of up to three months or both.
The new provisions of waste management will come into effect across the country, including Kathmandu Valley.
The MoFALD had recently concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Association for the control and management of waste produced from public vehicles.
Both the parties have joined forces to end the culture of throwing empty beverage cans, pet bottles, plastic bags, food scraps and fruit peels, among other things, from a moving vehicle.
As per the agreement, all public buses, minibuses, microbuses and tempos are required to make arrangements of trash bin or plastic bag for passengers to dispose of the waste they generate during their journey.
It is the duty of the concerned driver or helper of a public vehicle to inform the passengers not to throw waste from the vehicle and to cooperate with the government and transport entrepreneurs to keep the city and highways clean.
In the case of long-route vehicle, the passengers will be reminded of it every three hours. According to MoFALD, the driver or helper will urge the passengers to throw trash into the bin or plastic bags before the vehicle is stopped at highway eateries for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The waste produced by the vehicle will be collected by the concerned municipality from its destination, mainly the bus park areas.