Filth taking over Dhaka

We welcome the Dhaka City Corporation's initiative to assign the job of garbage dumping to private operators under a pilot project in eight wards of the city. The Bangladesh Integrated Environment Development Forum (BIEDF), a coalition of 38 environment protection organisations, is now working as a private operator in this crucially important area. The organisation has been engaged in primary garbage collection in 17 wards for the last one year, and it has now been given the much bigger assignment after evaluation of its performance by the DCC.

So, the initial results of involving private operators in garbage disposal have been encouraging. But the operators, who began their work on the pilot project on May 15, are facing some practical problems. The primary picking and deposit of wastes in dustbins throughout the day, which violate the DCC time-table, make it impossible to coordinate the activities for an effective final disposal of the garbage. Unplanned and untimely primary disposal creates stockpiles of garbage at different places throughout the day. Little wonder, the private operator was initially jolted by the huge piles of rubbish.

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The operators are also thinking of relocating the dustbins. This is necessary to make sure that no place is left out of the garbage disposal plan. Then there is the need for creating greater awareness among citizens so that they can cooperate with the operators and make their task easier. Cleanliness is a comprehensive package in which everybody must play a role.

The BIEDF needs to increase its operational efficiency by adding more vehicles to its fleet and increasing the manpower. The plan to set up a joint monitoring team with the DCC is welcome. It is imperative that city dwellers be not only associated with the process but also encouraged to provide feedback to the operators on a regular basis so as to impel them to perform better.

The DCC could not single-handedly manage garbage disposal; that's why the private sector has been involved. But unless an element of competitiveness is introduced, no radical improvement can be expected in the area. The DCC's task now is to provide the support that private operators need to overcome their practical difficulties.