NATION

Does Rubbish on Roads Show A Failed Campaign?

The question in our readers minds now after a year of the Fiji Sun Campaign Anti-littering is whether our municipal councils are doing their jobs? Is the council taking legal
24 Jan 2018 11:00
Does Rubbish on Roads Show A Failed Campaign?
On January 22, 2018; rubbish is dumped in front of the Nasinu Town Council signboard at Godfrey Road with the dumpster obviously removed on January 22, 2018. Photo: Lusiana Tuimaisala

The question in our readers minds now after a year of the Fiji Sun Campaign Anti-littering is whether our municipal councils are doing their jobs?

Is the council taking legal action against the members of their municipality who are engaged in littering?

This question arose after our team visited the Suva-Nausori corridor this New Year and found out that rubbish keeps piling up in the usual places.

A Nasinu resident, Daniel Chandra said: “The general public needs to bear in mind that open dumps around the area do not only create a public nuisance by making the surrounding environment unattractive. It also poses a number of health, economic, safety and environmental threats.

“Most of this area when it rains, illegally dumped rubbish can impact on proper drainage of water, making areas more vulnerable to flooding when wastes block the drainage system.”

Is the council providing ample dumpsters?

Fiji Sun have seen that people were just dumping their rubbish along the road side when the rubbish bin is full.

Nasinu is the most populated area between the Suva-Nausori corridor, and people moving in increases every week.

We need to know and understand that people living in this area are paying town and city rates.

At times when they don’t pay it, they get numerous calls and reminders from the council staff.

Suresh Prasad of Valelevu said “They were told and given a letter to pay town rates but the council were not doing their job in the regular cleaning of rubbish in the area.

“Fiji as we all know is a tourist destination and we should all protect it by keep our surrounding clean and healthy at all times.”

On Monday residents of Godfrey Road in Nasinu were upset after the Nasinu Town Council removed a dumpster from the area.

One elderly resident said the sight had upset her so much and she now wanted to move away.

“Now the rubbish persists after the council removed the bin (dumpster),” she said

The lady said the council never came on the right day for garbage collection.

“When the council don’t clear the rubbish, they burnt it up. And now they end up in removing rubbish bin (dumpster),” she said.

And on Monday, Fiji Sun witnessed that the rubbish dumpster that was placed beside the Nasinu Town Council sign board had been removed.

Council chief executive officer, Lute Berends when contacted yesterday said he had no idea who removed the dumspster.

Mr Berends said he was carrying out an internal investigation in the council and would make an announcement later.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

Feedback: lusiana.tuimaisala@fijisun.com.fj



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