The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya will lay the foundation stone for a first ever bio-gas plant at a public toilet in Ratnapark on Sunday to coincide with the World Toilet Day (WTD). 

Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste or food waste that is produced with breaking down of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. 

“This is going to be a first bio-gas plant at a public toilet in Nepal. It’s a good way to manage human waste as the lack of septic tank and proper drainage facility has been a big challenge facing us,” said Rabin Man Shrestha, chief at the KMC’s Environment Division.  

The bio-gas generated from human excreta collected from public toilets of Ratnapark and Bir Hospital would used for cooking purpose by the KMC staffers on duty at Ratnapark. 

The metropolis is looking to build more of such bio-gas plants in the city, with the KMC already working on its plan to build 40 public toilets within the distance of 200-300 metres and allocating a budget of Rs 30 million for the purpose. 

The metropolis is also organasing an awareness rally from Bhrikutimandap to Ratnapark at 7am on Sunday. The WTD is annually celebrated all over the world, to raise awareness of the global sanitation crisis.