Kathmandu: More than 10 metric tonnes of waste was dumped on the Pashupatinath Temple premises during the Mahashivaratri festival. However, Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) is yet to remove it from the holy site. Some 800,000 people thronged the temple during the festival, according to PADT. More than 10 metric tonnes of waste, including plastic bags was dumped.

“We have already started removing the waste,” said Sushil Nahata, member-secretary at PADT. “However, it will take three more days to clear the area as the flow of people visiting the temple is yet to become normal.” Nahata said PADT alone was not responsible for removing the waste. “Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is also equally accountable for managing the waste generated at the religious shrine,” he said. Authorities of KMC Wards 6, 7 and 8 were requested to clean the area, but they are yet to appear at the site, according to PADT officials. Gyanendra Karki, spokesperson for KMC, however, said PADT was fully responsible for cleaning the holy site. “If the trust asks us for help, we will help,” he said.

KMC spent about four million rupees managing the Mahashivaratri festival. However, management and sanitation were reportedly poor this year. The Hindu shrine, enlisted in the UNESCO world heritage site, is believed to be more than 2,000 years old.