By Our Correspondent
Pashupatinagar, Dec. 31: There is litter scattered on the roadside. Even though the road is unpaved, it looks clean and the greenery is well maintained.
Beautifully woven bamboo waste bins are installed at a distance of 15-20 metres along the roadside. The locals and tourists visiting Salakpur village of Rong Rural Municipality are seen picking up the roadside litter and dumping them in dustbins.

More than 250 such dustbins are installed in the village. After the village adopted a method of installing eco-friendly bins for waste management, the village is now a picture-perfect clean. The rural municipality has been using dustbins made out of village grown bamboo.
Kumar Moktan, a tourism entrepreneur from Salakpur, said that the bamboo dustbin which can be easily and inexpensively produced at the local level, has proved effective to keep the village clean.
The number of tourists visiting Salakpur, a village known for its orange, avocado, cardamom and asparagus production, has increased rapidly.

The municipality has adopted a new method of waste management realising that the influx of tourists may lead to a rise in plastic pollution at the serene village.
Mani Kumar Sangbo, ward chair of Rong Rural Municipality-6 said one dustbin can be made from a single bamboo at the cost of Rs.150.

“A single person can make up to 15-20 dustbins a day,” he said, adding, “Installing eco-friendly dustbins in touristic sites has already proven effective for waste management and also increased employment opportunities for the locals,” he said.

Arjun Karki, a tourism worker from Jhapa, said these beautifully woven bamboo dustbins are so eye-catching and attractive that it obliges people to dump waste inside these bins.
Located near the plains, Jhandidanda of Salakpur is developed as a new tourist site. It is also known for its spectacular view of the rising sun. Surrounded by the hills on all sides, the village boasts several natural wonders for everyone to admire.

In all, 12 homestays are operating in Salakpur.
Kausila Tamang, chairperson of Jaskelo Community Homestay said especially Indian tourists and people from districts adjoining Jhapa come to visit the place.
To reach the area, one has to travel 17 kilometres from Harkate of Rong Rural Municipality and 21 kilometres from Kakadvitta, Jhapa.

To promote the locally grown foods, a two-day food festival was recently organised in Salakpur by the local entrepreneurs.
During the festivals, tourists got a chance to taste locally grown orange, honey, avocado and dishes made out of banana.