Nepal, a land locked country with area of 1,47,181 sqmr is divided into three ecological regions towards north south direction. Terai in the south, Hills in the middle and Mountains in the north. While as administratively, it is divided into five development regions from east to west i.e. eastern development region (EDR), central development region (CDR), western development region (WDR), mid western development region (MWDR) and far western development region (FWDR). As the latest census 2001 reveled that the total population of the country is 234 million. Of which, the urban population holds only 15% spread over 58 officially designated municipal areas.

Pre-dominantly, Nepal is an agricultural economic based country in which more than 85% of the total economically active population are engaged in agriculturally associated activities. Similarly, It is estimated that 38% of its population is living under poverty line*. The per capital GNP of Nepal in 1998 was US$2402**.

Among the developing countries, the Nepal is considered as least urbanized country. The figure 9% as urban growth rate during the recent past years is quite significant.

The environmental challenges in urban areas are emerging as an unprecedented manner that include the air, noise, surface water and ground water pollution, ever accumulating solid & liquid waste, river pollution, aesthetic damage, loss of greenery, land pollution, and damage to the urban infrastructure. The Natural beauty, geographical and biological diversity, and cultural and artistic heritage are being encroached and degraded, and have reached at a threatening level where they may totally and irreversibly get affected.

The problems continue unabated due to the gap between the lack of old practices and inadequacy of new management. The few attempts made to introduce new technology and modern management system have not succeeded in a well manner. Local institutions are being weak and societal acceptance of new solutions has been only lukewarm. To overcome such challenges even the new means of modern technology are being condense. The major environmental problems, which are in increasing trend, include the solid waste management.

* Nepal Human Development Report, UNDP, 2001, ** World Bank, 2001