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Garbage pile on roadside poses health risk to citizens


Published : 19 Aug 2021 09:17 PM

A garbage dump has been set up along the Rajbari-Kushtia regional highway. As the day goes on, the pile of garbage on the side of the highway is getting bigger. The highway has been chosen as the place for dumping waste in the local hats and neighborhoods. As a result, the air in the Sreepur bus terminal area is becoming toxic. Breathing stops and there is a strong smell. This has put the environment and public health at risk. 

Especially pedestrians, including school children, are in extreme distress. Due to mismanagement of the municipality, garbage is being dumped on the highways in the terminal area every day. Despite this uncomfortable environment, the first class Rajbari municipality is not taking any steps to remove the garbage. The stench is likely to cause diarrhea and stomach ailments, said Rajbari Civil Surgeon Ibrahim Teton.

According to the locals, people from several districts use this road every day. In addition, thousands of vehicles from different districts use this highway. If one wants to enter the city of Rajbari, one has to enter through this road. In fact, it is the entrance to the city of Rajbari. 

However, the dumping of such garbage at the entrance of Rajbari-Kushtia regional highway is giving a negative message to the residents of other districts. Although there are important establishments including educational institutions, hat bazaars and residential areas next to the garbage, the concerned people of the municipality do not have any headache about it.

It can be seen on the spot that every morning, the cleaners of the municipality in 15-20 vans and a truck bring garbage from different houses, markets, hospitals and clinics of 9 wards and dump it on the highway at Sreepur bus stand area of Rajbari-Kushtia regional highway. LGED office, district council office, several hundred shops, businesses, houses including mosques are 60 yards away. They are also suffering endlessly. 

Thousands of people pass through this highway every day. The cleaners of the municipality are dumping garbage on the settlements and important roads. Not only on the road, but also in the residential areas of the municipality, Binodpur Ward No. 3, Beradanga No. 1 and other areas along the roads.

According to municipal sources, Rajbari municipality was established in 1913. 55,782 people live in an area of 11.66 sq km of the municipality. Waste of 9 wards of the municipality was dumped everywhere at one time. Later, five acres of land was purchased for dumping waste in Sreepur area of Ward 6. Since then, municipal waste is being dumped in the area.

However, the municipality has sufficient manpower to keep the garbage clean. However, the situation is being created as there is no place for dumping, said the concerned. According to the Rajbari Municipality Office, there are currently 70 cleaners and 15 supervisors in the municipality. There are two trucks and multiple vans for cleaning the dirt.

Local and road users say many are falling ill as well as suffering from such activities in the municipality. Md. Matin Mollah, who regularly travels through the Sreepur bus stand area, expressed his displeasure and said that the workers of the municipality are throwing dirt on such an important road day after day. Even after wearing a mask, you have to hold your nose and mouth with bad smell.

Russell Munshi, director of Billal & Sons, which is just opposite the garbage dump, said, “Municipal business garbage is dumped right next to my business here. I can't sit in the rye shop myself because of the stench. It has also become difficult to manage.

Faruk Hossain, a local, said that they are suffering in the extreme just by coming and going. The small children of the nearby houses are also getting sick. You can't sleep because of the stench at night. It is also difficult to eat and drink. There is no one to look into the matter. 

Joynal Abedin, a trader in the Sreepur bus stand area, said businesses in Sreepur were on the verge of closing due to garbage. Workers do not want to sit in a shop and eat a cup of tea. It is now impossible to live with this stench. The sales of each shop have decreased. 

Professor Shankar Chandra Sinha, president of the Rajbari branch of the Aware Citizens Committee (SNAC), said the garbage dump at the entrance of the city was sending a negative message to the residents of other surrounding districts about the beauty of the Rajbari. Moreover, there is a pile of such garbage in the city, making it difficult for people to move around. 

He added that such piles of rubbish should be kept outside the city. But in the case of our palace it is the opposite. This waste at the entrance of the city has ruined the beauty of the city. In addition, the stench of waste is also causing environmental disasters. There is no precedent in any civilized country of the world for dumping waste in this way. Although the government has developed roads to alleviate the suffering of the people by spending thousands of crores of rupees, people are suffering due to waste. 

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer SMA Hannan said special importance should be given to waste management. Exposure to it or the effects of its smoke can cause serious damage to the health of the people, including skin diseases and respiratory problems. In this case, it can be more frightening to leave garbage here and there.

Rajbari Civil Surgeon said. Md. In this regard, Ibrahim Teton said that a meeting has been held to clean up the garbage and dengue of the municipality. Prevention is the key to dengue. You have to take care so that the mosquitoes do not grow. Besides, 600 dengue detection kits have been found for Rajbari district, which have been distributed 100 in four upazilas and 200 in Rajbari Sadar Hospital. If such patients are identified, it will be possible to give treatment. Even after that, everyone should be aware. 

Mayor of Rajbari municipality Md Alamgir Sheikh Titu said that in this regard, the municipal mayor Alamgir Sheikh Titu said, “This is a specific place to remove waste in Rajbari municipal area. Land purchased by the municipality itself. That's right, dumping garbage here is a problem for pedestrians and people in the area. After the dirt is removed, it is removed with a veque machine. In the rainy season, garbage trucks cannot go far”.

“However, work is going on in the field of Sreepur at a cost of Tk 11 crore for dumping garbage of the municipality. That project has a time of one more year. It is hoped that a dirt-free municipality will be built within the next year. The mayor added that the municipality is working hard to eradicate mosquitoes. Every day the cleaning staff is cleaning different areas of the city. Drugs are being sprayed. Even the quality drugs that are sprayed in the city corporation have been bought”, he said.