It is no secret that keeping a city clean depends on the quality of the city dwellers. It is true that good citizens had no hands on removing the waste-bins but they have also failed to save them in their place. We are back to a garbage city again. We know that around six thousands mini-bins were set up at various points by DSCC earlier this year while the DNCC installed one thousand and was set to install five thousand more soon. But as the project has failed, DNCC has already cancelled it as well.
We feel very sad that our people don’t want to keep the city clean. Many believe that it was a pre-matured project and both City Corporations did not carry out feasibility study whether or not such waste disposal bins are suitable for our city at this moment. The huge cost was moreover unjustified by any count as corruption by political rent seekers and corporation employees and suppliers used the fund to make fortune. But in our view the Mayors’ drive was quite appreciable because we must know sooner or later how to keep the city clean. Meanwhile, question also arises how long Dhaka city will have to wait with wastes on streets and roadsides giving it the dirty look.
We must say fresh initiative must be in hands to set up new waste-bins properly fixed that can’t be easily removed. The city can’t be left to live with waste in public places. But this time the city authorities must go slow and take up public awareness campaign first to create the environment that will allow people to realize their responsibility and the waste-bins to survive.
We must learn from other big cities as to how they keep their cities clean. They have their disposal points at a small distance and almost all people adhere to the discipline to keep the streets clean. It is their habit in civic life that dominates one’s behaviour and in some cities police even fine a person who throw waste in open place. We have to learn it as well.
