Koka Road in Kinoya, Nasinu has started to look like a miniature landfill because rubbish has been dumped along the side of the road.

And there is evidence that rubbish being piled there has been burnt. A number of residents have called for more civic pride.

Koka Road resident, Ranjita Jagrup, said it was obvious that the rubbish was being put there by the people living in the area.

“Who else puts rubbish here? I am pretty sure it is not the guys from another area who are coming to Koka Road and placing the rubbish here,” she said.

“This place looks horrible.”

The rubbish on a closer look is made of household refuse. Diapers, plastic items such as food wrapping, milk cartons, cans for food and drinks and paper. People have also dumped green refuse.

Another resident Aseri Tabua said garbage collection was regular from the Nasinu Town Council.

“The council workers have come and cleared the rubbish from here, but people are still bringing their rubbish to dump carelessly,” he said.

“Now with the school holidays, I am fearful that children will get some kind of disease. You know how kids are. They will be running around.”

Jonathan Singh said the fact that people continued to pile rubbish in Koka Road showed how negligent some people were towards the environment.

“We are trying to clean up the world when in fact it should start from our backyard,” he said.

Civic pride relates to how places promote and defend local identity and autonomy. It is often championed as a key-value and aspiration of local government.

Nasinu Town Council said it would look into the matter.

Edited by Percy Kean

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