Waste management

Waste management in cities and towns is far from satisfactory

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the 'Procurement of Equipment for Solid Waste Management' with Tk 160.12 crore in a bid to enhance waste management capacity in Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Chittagong City Corporation areas. We appreciate the initiative but at the same time express concern whether the allocation would be used properly. Every tax-paying citizen has a right to live in a clean city but the reality is extremely appalling and mind-boggling. Waste management in cities and towns is far from satisfactory.    
Indiscriminate dumping of garbage here and there pollutes the environment of the capital city and other metropolitan areas and towns in the country.     Overflowing of dustbins and piling of garbage on the roads and neighbourhoods are regular features. The growing stink owing to the indisposed wastes adds to the unhygienic situation, making life miserable for the residents. There are some places where it is difficult to move along the roads without pressing handkerchiefs into noses.  
There are unscrupulous people who throw their household garbage on the roads polluting the environment. And there is none to clean the mess.
Plastic bags, papers, tissue papers, cigarette butts, fruit and vegetable skins and other things are thrown indiscriminately. There are some dustbins but those are not cleaned on a regular basis. As a result, foul smells from those pollute the environment. It is the responsibility of the city corporations or municipal authorities to clean those regularly. It is not only happening in areas inhabited by poor communities, it is also happening in posh areas where affluent people live.  
As the cities and towns have expanded both horizontally and vertically with their burgeoning population, those are also confronted with a myriad of problems. The worsening bad culture of dumping waste indiscriminately has also assumed a formidable problem.  The issue of waste management should be taken seriously. There is no room for foot-dragging and dilly-dallying. Mere allocation of funds will do little if accountability and transparency of works done are not ensured. 
The overall mindset of the people should be changed. Awareness should be generated among people to keep environment neat and clean. Members of the law enforcing agencies, environmentalists and members of the civil society can also play vital roles in this regard. 

 

Waste management

Waste management in cities and towns is far from satisfactory

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the Procurement of Equipment for Solid Waste Management with Tk 160.12 crore in a bid to enhance waste management capacity in Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Chittagong City Corporation areas. We appreciate the initiative but at the same time express concern whether the allocation would be used properly. Every tax-paying citizen has a right to live in a clean city but the reality is extremely appalling and mind-boggling. Waste management in cities and towns is far from satisfactory. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage here and there pollutes the environment of the capital city and other metropolitan areas and towns in the country. Overflowing of dustbins and piling of garbage on the roads and neighbourhoods are regular features. The growing stink owing to the indisposed wastes adds to the unhygienic situation, making life miserable for the residents. There are some places where it is difficult to move along the roads without pressing handkerchiefs into noses. There are unscrupulous people who throw their household garbage on the roads polluting the environment. And there is none to clean the mess. Plastic bags, papers, tissue papers, cigarette butts, fruit and vegetable skins and other things are thrown indiscriminately. There are some dustbins but those are not cleaned on a regular basis. As a result, foul smells from those pollute the environment. It is the responsibility of the city corporations or municipal authorities to clean those regularly. It is not only happening in areas inhabited by poor communities, it is also happening in posh areas where affluent people live. As the cities and towns have expanded both horizontally and vertically with their burgeoning population, those are also confronted with a myriad of problems. The worsening bad culture of dumping waste indiscriminately has also assumed a formidable problem. The issue of waste management should be taken seriously. There is no room for foot-dragging and dilly-dallying. Mere allocation of funds will do little if accountability and transparency of works done are not ensured. The overall mindset of the people should be changed. Awareness should be generated among people to keep environment neat and clean. Members of the law enforcing agencies, environmentalists and members of the civil society can also play vital roles in this regard.