200 open dustbins in Barisal city

City corporation turns blind eye

The incumbent mayor of the Barisal City Corporation (BCC), Ahsan Habib Kamal, had made an election pledge that Barisal would become the cleanest city in the country. But though more than two years have passed since he was elected, there is dust, filth and garbage everywhere on the city’s roads.
There are over 200 open dustbins on almost all roads of the city. The foul odours emanating from them force pedestrians to put their handkerchiefs on their noses. Even four years ago, visitors to Barisal city used to observe that it was the cleanest city in the country. But now the situation is diametrically opposite. Waste is dumped near dustbins here and there across the city, making it dirty and unhygienic. In the absence of recycling, the stinking garbage heaps are growing higher and higher.  Yet, ironically, the BCC mayor claimed that the city’s roads are still clean. Ahsan Habib Kamal said Barisal city is, even now, the cleanest in the country. “The BCC is trying to clean the city’s roads round-the-clock, but the city’s residents should have greater awareness,” he added. The BCC, however, admitted that some 62 tonnes of dumped garbage, including medical waste, remain undisposed of in Barisal city every day, thanks to the shortage of sufficient number of vehicles and dumping points.
BCC conservancy officer Dipok Lal Mridha said around 42,000 localities dump some 175 to 192 tonnes of garbage into 160 dustbins of the city every day. Of the total dump, there are about 12 tonnes of medical waste. These are disbursed from the medical college and hospital, three other hospitals, and 47 clinics and diagnostic centres. However, the BCC has the capacity to dispose of a maximum of 130 tonnes at the single dumping point in Gauasar area of the city, set up on six acres of land 32 years ago. As many as 669 labourers, including 348 sweepers, are engaged in keeping the city clean, he added.
Mridha said the BCC has decided to set up one more dumping point on eight acres of land and an incinerator to recycle the dump. BCC assistant engineer (mechanical) Zahirul Islam Tipu said the corporation has 42 vehicles, including a bulldozer, seven rollers, 12 garbage disposal trucks, four jeeps, an electric line repairing vehicle, a micro bus and a couple of tempos. But it was found that as there are inadequate garage facilities, these vehicles are parked under the open sky in all seasons—either on the roadside or on the BCC premises. BCC sources said there is a small garage space near the children’s park for BCC vehicles, which can accommodate parking for just four or five among the 42 vehicles. Parking space also remains unutilised because of the negligence of drivers.

200 open dustbins in Barisal city

City corporation turns blind eye

The incumbent mayor of the Barisal City Corporation (BCC), Ahsan Habib Kamal, had made an election pledge that Barisal would become the cleanest city in the country. But though more than two years have passed since he was elected, there is dust, filth and garbage everywhere on the citys roads. There are over 200 open dustbins on almost all roads of the city. The foul odours emanating from them force pedestrians to put their handkerchiefs on their noses. Even four years ago, visitors to Barisal city used to observe that it was the cleanest city in the country. But now the situation is diametrically opposite. Waste is dumped near dustbins here and there across the city, making it dirty and unhygienic. In the absence of recycling, the stinking garbage heaps are growing higher and higher. Yet, ironically, the BCC mayor claimed that the citys roads are still clean. Ahsan Habib Kamal said Barisal city is, even now, the cleanest in the country. The BCC is trying to clean the citys roads round-the-clock, but the citys residents should have greater awareness, he added. The BCC, however, admitted that some 62 tonnes of dumped garbage, including medical waste, remain undisposed of in Barisal city every day, thanks to the shortage of sufficient number of vehicles and dumping points. BCC conservancy officer Dipok Lal Mridha said around 42,000 localities dump some 175 to 192 tonnes of garbage into 160 dustbins of the city every day. Of the total dump, there are about 12 tonnes of medical waste. These are disbursed from the medical college and hospital, three other hospitals, and 47 clinics and diagnostic centres. However, the BCC has the capacity to dispose of a maximum of 130 tonnes at the single dumping point in Gauasar area of the city, set up on six acres of land 32 years ago. As many as 669 labourers, including 348 sweepers, are engaged in keeping the city clean, he added. Mridha said the BCC has decided to set up one more dumping point on eight acres of land and an incinerator to recycle the dump. BCC assistant engineer (mechanical) Zahirul Islam Tipu said the corporation has 42 vehicles, including a bulldozer, seven rollers, 12 garbage disposal trucks, four jeeps, an electric line repairing vehicle, a micro bus and a couple of tempos. But it was found that as there are inadequate garage facilities, these vehicles are parked under the open sky in all seasonseither on the roadside or on the BCC premises. BCC sources said there is a small garage space near the childrens park for BCC vehicles, which can accommodate parking for just four or five among the 42 vehicles. Parking space also remains unutilised because of the negligence of drivers.