Dhaka North and South City Corporations have launched a new initiative titled “Urban Public and Environmental Health Development Project” to relieve the city people of the toxic smell from roadside garbage.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project is being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD).
Authorities said the project, which has already been introduced at a number of wards in DCC south, would be completed in two to three years.
DCC officials informed that under the project, a secondary transformation station (STS) would be built on a relatively high point at each ward.
All the waste and garbage from the area would be kept in containers on the raised platforms, they said.
The two city corporations have already selected and acquired suitable lands and the construction of the STSs have already started at several wards.
DCC officials said the platform would be a 70 feet by 70 feet structure, raised several feet above the ground, so that rainwater could not wash away the dumped garbage.
They also said the STS would have separate resting place and toilets for the cleaners.
“The new secondary transformation stations for waste management will be an environment friendly initiative, and will be built in an enclosed area at every ward,” Captain SM Javed Iqbal, chief waste management officer of DSCC, told the Dhaka Tribune.
“We have already started the construction at wards number one, 14, 20, 22, 48 and 54 of the south city corporation. Twenty other words have been selected and the construction would start during the upcoming 2013-14 fiscal,” he said.
According to Javed, the capital’s Khilgaon, Jigatala, Shegun Bagicha, Topkhana, Dhaka University area, Hazaribagh, Syedabad, North Jatrabari and Jurain areas would be initially brought under the project.
He also said the decision for purchasing the necessary number of containers for each of the stations has already been made.
“The new waste management project will give Dhaka a better look. It would also do the same for the other city corporations if the project is launched there. I hope that after the completion of the project, the people of Dhaka would be able to live free from the filth of the open roadside dustbins,” Captain Javed added.
He also said the project could be made effective without the participation and awareness of the people.
Chief Waste Management Officer of DNCC Captain Bipon Kumar Saha said: “We have launched the project in north city corporation. Eight stations will be completed by the end of this year.”
