Editing Kathmandu (section)

== Government and public services ==
=== Civic administration ===
[[File:Primeminister's Office 01.jpg|thumb|Office of the [[Prime Minister of Nepal]] in [[Singha Durbar]], Kathmandu]]

Kathmandu Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the chief nodal agency for the administration of Kathmandu. The Municipality of Kathmandu was upgraded to a metropolitan city in 1995.

Metropolitan Kathmandu is divided into five sectors: the Central Sector, the East Sector, the North Sector, the City Core and the West Sector. For civic administration, the city is further divided into 32 administrative wards. The Council administers the Metropolitan area of Kathmandu city through its 177 elected representatives and 20 nominated members. It holds biannual meetings to review, process and approve the annual budget and make major policy decisions.<ref name="facts" /><ref name="council">{{cite web |url=http://www.kathmandu.gov.np/index.php?cid=9&pr_id=9 |title=Metropolis Council |access-date=14 December 2009 |publisher=Kathmandu Metropolitan City Council, Government of Nepal |archive-date=4 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404082004/http://www.kathmandu.gov.np/index.php?cid=9&pr_id=9 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ward's profile documents for the 32 wards prepared by the Kathmandu Metropolitan Council is detailed and provides information for each ward on population, the structure and condition of houses, the type of roads, educational, health and financial institutions, entertainment facilities, parking space, security provisions, etc. It also includes lists of development projects completed, on-going and planned, along with informative data about the cultural heritage, festivals, historical sites and the local inhabitants. Ward 16 is the largest, with an area of 437.4&nbsp;ha; ward 26 is the smallest, with an area of 4&nbsp;ha.<ref name="ward">{{cite web |url=http://www.kathmandu.gov.np/index.php?cid=915&pr_id=15 |title=Ward Profile |access-date=14 December 2009 |publisher=Kathmandu Metropolitan City Council, Government of Nepal |archive-date=4 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404082656/http://www.kathmandu.gov.np/index.php?cid=915&pr_id=15 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Kathmandu is the headquarters of the surrounding [[Kathmandu District]].

=== Law and order ===

The Metropolitan Police is the main law enforcement agency in the city. It is headed by a [[police commissioner|commissioner of police]]. The Metropolitan Police is a division of the [[Nepal Police]], and the administrative control lies with the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal)|Ministry of Home Affairs]].
[[File:Dutch Embassy in Kathmandu.jpg|thumb|Consulate of [[Netherlands|the Netherlands]]. Kathmandu hosts [[List of diplomatic missions in Nepal|28 diplomatic missions]]]]

=== Fire service ===

The fire service, known as the ''Barun Yantra Karyalaya'' ({{Langx|ne|वारुण यन्त्र कार्यालय}}), opened its first station in Kathmandu in 1937 with a single-vehicle.<ref name="FAN">{{cite web |url=http://www.fan.org.np/ |title=History and problem |publisher=Firefighters Volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) |access-date=20 December 2009 |archive-date=14 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914233123/http://www.fan.org.np/ |url-status=live}}</ref> An iron tower was erected to monitor the city and watch for a fire. As a precautionary measure, firemen were sent to the areas which were designated as accident-prone areas.<ref name="FAN" /> In 1944, the fire service was extended to the neighbouring cities of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. In 1966, a fire service was established in [[Tribhuvan International Airport|Kathmandu central airport]].<ref name="FAN" /> In 1975, a West German government donation added seven fire engines to Kathmandu's fire service.<ref name="FAN" /> The fire service in the city is also overlooked by an international non-governmental organization, the Firefighters Volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN), which was established in 2000 with the purpose of raising public awareness about fire and improving safety.<ref name="FAN" />

=== Electricity and water supply ===
[[File:Public baths, Kathmandu. 1979.jpg|thumb|Public baths, Kathmandu. 1979]]
Electricity in Kathmandu is regulated and distributed by the [[Nepal Electricity Authority]] (NEA). Water supply and sanitation facilities are provided by the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL). There is a severe shortage of water for household purposes such as drinking, bathing, cooking and washing and irrigation. People have been using bottled mineral water, water from tank trucks and from the ancient [[dhunge dhara]]s ({{Langx|ne|ढुङ्गे धारा}}) for all the purposes related to water. The city water shortage should be solved by the completion of the much plagued [[Melamchi Water Supply Project]] by the end of 2019. Despite continued efforts by governmental bodies, Kathmandu is one of the most polluted cities in Nepal, largely due to overpopulation.<ref>[https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Melamchi-water-not-enough-for-everyone,3899 Not enough for everyone] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110135454/https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Melamchi-water-not-enough-for-everyone,3899 |date=10 November 2021 }} by Sonia Awale, Nepali Times, 25–31 August 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.nepalitimes.com/from-the-nepali-press/melamchi-delayed-by-government-extortion/ Melamchi delayed by government extortion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622102718/https://www.nepalitimes.com/from-the-nepali-press/melamchi-delayed-by-government-extortion/ |date=22 June 2021 }} by Bikash Thapa, Nepali Times, 28 December 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2019</ref>

=== Waste management ===

Waste management may be through composting in municipal waste management units, and at houses with home composting units. Both systems are common and established in India and neighbouring countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dandc.eu/en/article/waste-management-has-not-kept-kathmandus-fast-growth |title=Living amidst filth |date=13 May 2016 |access-date=7 July 2016 |publisher=D+C, development and cooperation |first=Roshan |last=Sharma |archive-date=20 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920201839/http://www.dandc.eu/en/article/waste-management-has-not-kept-kathmandus-fast-growth |url-status=live}}</ref>