Dumping cleanliness instead of garbage

By KK Moidu

Residential areas in Sharjah have garbage bins placed at right locations and the municipality has put a system in place to clear them promptly. Surprisingly, carelessness on the part of some residents is leaving waste to be deposited around the garbage boxes, instead of inside them.

"A few people carelessly throw waste bags outside the garbage bins and their irresponsible act not only increases the workload of the cleaning workers who  empty the garbage boxes daily but also causes environment and health problems to the public," complained a resident at Al Wahda Street. 

A resident, living with his family at the ground floor of a building in the Yarmouk area in Sharjah said: "The garbage box is very near to my flat and I am watching everyday that several people are depositing the waste from their houses carelessly outside the box. Some families have left the task of throwing the garbage with their children. These children cannot put the garbage in the boxes and instead just leave the bags outside and disappear."

A cleaning worker from the municipality said: "Most of the people are dropping the waste bags in the boxes, but a few irresponsible people do not even close their waste bags properly and throw them strewing all wastes outside the boxes."

Though the municipality workers clean the area, it's of no use as the stinking waste dumped around the box makes the place greasy and difficult to walk.

The garbage boxes are seen overflowing with wastes on public holidays and weekends as some residents leave their old furniture and other unusable household goods outside the boxes.

Although the workers of municipality start their work early morning next day, more garbage after weekends and holidays increase their workload.

"It's time the residents understood their own responsibility and keep the area clean and green," said a longtime resident of Yarmouk area.