DCC's garbage management

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THE Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), it seems, became conscious of improving garbage collection from the Dhaka city. It was reported sometime ago that the DCC signed an agreement with a bilateral donor agency to set up a modern garbage recycling plant in the city. Under the project, the garbage of the city would be carried swiftly beyond the metropolitan areas to well-supervised sites. The garbage would be separated there using the latest technology. Some of it would be burnt to produce power for the power distribution network.

It is estimated that about 100 mw or more of electricity would be produced daily for the homes and industries in Dhaka. Now the garbage rots to pollute the city environment. The new project would reportedly aim at complete removal of the garbage and end the pollution caused by it. It would transform the garbage to power to meet the partial energy needs of the city. Plastics, bottles, tin cans etc., would, thus, be separated and recycled to make commercial products. Garbage and its bad smell would disappear on a continuous basis from different spots. Power and recycled commercial products would be additional bonuses.

The news of garbage recycling plant had created some optimism in the city. But the people do not know now about how far the DCC has progressed with the operational side of this project. The DCC needs to develop orderly disposal of garbage from the city. The recycling plant may take some years to set up. In the meanwhile, the DCC authorities ought to work harder to get more out of its garbage clearance squads. They complain about insufficient manpower and vehicles in these squads. But the prevailing chaos and inefficiency in garbage collection can be attributed to sheer apathy and corruption. The concerned authorities need to take a hard look at the problem and do something in response.

Abul Khair (Liton)

Shantibag, Dhaka.