Master Plan Hand Over Ceremony
Community participation stressed to improve waste management
Faizul Khan Tanim
The master plan on solid waste management in Dhaka city was handed over by Japan International Cooperation Agency's (JICA) resident representative, Akio Arai, to Dhaka Mayor, Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Minister for Local Government and Rural Development and Co-operatives (LGRD), Mannan Bhuiyan. The handing over ceremony took place yesterday at the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) auditorium. This plan was formulated during a 16-month study period by a team of 17 experts from JICA in collaboration with 26 members from DCC. DCC's Chief conservancy officer, Sohel Farouquie in his brief presentation of the master plan said the formulation was made for 10 years. With Dhaka turning into a mega city, it currently generates 3,200 tons of waste daily, from homes, hospitals and industries. The plan, aiming at a scientific method of management waste has already started with community participation and the improvement of Matuail garbage disposal site. Land has already been acquired for disposal at Amin Bazar and filling is expected to start soon. At the presentation, a discussion, took place on how to make the community aware of waste management was the main focus of the programme, which included the rules of waste management and to cooperate with DCC to turn Dhaka pollution free. A note was made on the volume of waste produced in the city at present. Figures showed that 3,200 tons of solid wastes are produced daily of which 2,780 tons are discharged and only 420 tons are recycled. Special emphasis was made on recycling. Special Guest Matsushiro Horiguchi, Ambassador of Japan, congratulated the work on the plan and termed it as comprehensive. Citing most cities from around the world and Japan, he emphasized on recycling and cleanliness by effective waste management. LGRD and Co-operatives Minister, in his address said the amount of waste generated in Dhaka, was too much. "No civilized city produces so much waste. Right now, waste is been moved openly by truck to Matuail and in the process pollutes the environment." The minister also said that tax on individuals has to be increased in order to sustain these projects. He concluded by saying the Government will support this plan in every possible way. The Mayor in his speech pointed out that the project will face difficulties for the next five years because of lack of funds. It is estimated that in the first year there might be a deficit of Tk. 114 crore, in the next Tk. 94 crore, Tk. 63 crore in the third year and Tk. 30 crore in the fourth. Chief executive officer of DCC, Saifuddin Ahmed and resident representative of JICA, Akio Arai also spoke at the occasion.
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