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Even after 15 years of its formation, Panauti Municipality does not have any SWM plans and programmes.  Rapid urbanisation process, corresponding with the improved standards of living of people in the area, the per capita waste generation has also increased significantly in recent years, and the traditional method of waste disposal has ceased. Consequently, not only the Panauti urban areas are converting into unpleasant sites producing a pungent order, but also into places that pose serious public health hazards. Unless appropriate steps are taken, within short period of time, the situation could be that of other leading urban municipalities, where the SWM issues and problems have compounded with multiple challenges, including social conflicts and disharmony. 

European Union finance the implementation of the action entitled " Towards Developing a Model of Green Municipality: Integrating Solid Waste and Natural Resource Management Practices in Panauti Municipality for Improved Waste Management and Local Green Economy".  The major objectives of this action is to support in the improvement of the waste management practices by introducing and demonstrating an effective and efficient mechanism, systems and ways for combined ISWM and NRM practices, especially for the management of Municipal waste of Panauti Municipality. Special focus will be given towards organising and mobilising local community groups and integrating an additional value adding component of that of NRM in the traditional SWM practices, so that a better and integrated model for SWM is developed, which could simultaneously address the issues of SWM and NRM and demonstrate a successful and replicable model, that has the potential to effectively manage solid waste, improve natural resource management practices and yield better economic opportunities.

Awareness raising and capacity building, institutional strengthening, community formation and mobilisation, entrepreneurship development, development and demonstration of solid waste and natural resource management models, policy dialogue, documentation and dissemination are the key activities proposed for the action. These activities will lead to improved understanding among the concerned stakeholders of the combined solid waste and natural resource management practices, strengthened capacities of both the Panauti Municipality staff and community groups to plan and implement combined ISWM and NRM programmes and activities, an effectively/ efficiently operational mechanism/ system for solid waste collection, disposal and management with clear roles and  responsibilities of waste producers and collectors and local authority and relationships among them.

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IUCN

WEPCO Nepal

WEPCO Nepal

Women Environment Preservation Committee (WEPCO) is a non-profit organization formed by a group of trained housewives from Kupondole, Lalitpur. It was established on January 1992. The office is located on the north-west bank of the Bagmati River Bridge at Kupondole in Lalitpur District. It has been dedicated to cleaning and conserving the urban environment in the Kathmandu Valley. During this time, WEPCO has encouraged a new generation of women and students to learn more about environmental issues and play an active role in improving their local environment. WEPCO is especially well known for their innovation and initiative in Solid Waste Management.

From its establishment, WEPCO formulated a Solid Waste Management Scheme for proper disposal and management of solid waste. With the cooperation of rate-payers, WEPCO achieved an 80% success, and thus the old system of "free disposal" of waste on streets was abolished in the Lalitpur area. In 1996, WEPCO also initiated the organic composting and paper recycling programs, thus setting an example in producing 'resource' from 'waste' and developing an ideal solid waste management system. The collected waste is segregated and organic waste is managed through composting and biogas while inorganic waste like metals, rubber, plastic and papers are recycled. Rests of the wastes are taken to the landfill site by the help of Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City as well as WEPCO itself.

WEPCO has introduced and disseminated many new ideas such as: Community composting; Home composting; Vermi-composting; Paper collection and recycling and Bio-gas production from organic (vegetable) waste. In recognition of its work, WEPCO was awarded the UNEP Global 500 Environment Award (2003), WWF Abraham Conservation Award (2003) and Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE) Award (1996), Ministry of Environment has awarded WEPCO by "Women Environment Conservation Award" (2010) and Solid Waste Management Award 2011 by SWMRMC (MoLD).

About IUCN

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.

IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects around the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and private companies together to develop policy, laws and best practices.

IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in over 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. It was founded in 1948 as the world’s first global environmental organization. The Union’s headquarters is located in Gland, Switzerland and the Asia Regional office is in Bangkok, Thailand.

Our Vision:

• A just world that values and conserves nature

Our Mission:

• To influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world
• To conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and
• To ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. 

Our Approaches:

We believe in integrating ecological benefits with socio-economic rights and interests of the people

Participatory and multi partnership approach in planning and implementation of programme and projects

Our Programme Objective:

• To promote biodiversity conservation, environmental justice and sustainable livelihoods in Nepal 

The IUCN Nepal Country Office was officially launched on 23 February 1995 in association with the Ministry of Finance, Government of Nepal. Over the decades, IUCN Nepal has been developing partnerships with various government line agencies as well as non-governmental organizations to carry forward its activities to conserve Nepal’s biodiversity for improved and secure livelihoods. IUCN Nepal strengthens the links among the three groups of the IUCN constituency including National members, Commission members and other partners. This in turn strengthens the collective influence and effectiveness of the broader IUCN family to advance our shared common vision of environmental conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources in Nepal. There are 18 IUCN Members and six Commissions in Nepal representing the government, INGO and NGO sectors.

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Natural Resource Management

Solid Waste Management