While peaceniks are talking about arms management, there is an urgent need to sort out this mess.

Kathmandu municipality has started dumping garbage at the Open Theatre, the site of massive pro-democracy protests in April, after locals at Teku prevented the transfer station there from being used.

As garbage started piling up in neighbourhoods around the city, the municipality started using the open space in the city center next to Bir Hospital to dump it.

The stink from the rotten garbage now pervades the hospital and Ratna Park, and there is fear of the rubbish spreading disease. The municipality says it is trying to negotiate with Teku residents, but it may take a few days before the trash is cleared.