Organising a press meet at Reporters’ Club Nepal in Kathmandu on Saturday, Umesh Yadav, chairperson of the local residents’ committee protesting against the decision to build landfill site at Shivagadhi, said the place carries historical, cultural and archaeological importance and construction of landfill site will affect the area and neighbouring villages.

“It will completely destroy the significance of the historical and cultural place,” he said.

Earlier, the government team had proposed Maniyari of Phulgama VDC in Dhanusha for the landfill site but later changed the site to Shivagadhi. The villagers claimed the decision was made without consulting the local communities.

On September 1, a joint struggle committee of various political parties had called for a shutdown in Janakpur to protest the decision.

They had also chanted slogans against Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Bimalendra Nidhi and demanded that the authorities concerned to construct the landfill site at the previously agreed location.

Janakpur Municipality has prepared a plan under the Integrated Urban Development Project to construct the landfill site with an estimated cost of Rs 2 billion. The project includes construction of 26 kilometres road, 26 kilometres sewerage and well facilitated the landfill site.