By A. Jeyaraj
MBI has come up with a Community Programme to handle Garden and Bulk Waste and put flyers about the programme in letter boxes in housing estates including Medan Tambun, whose residents wanted to know more about the programme.
Mohd Syahrizal Azmi, Ipoh City Council Public Relations Officer informed that MBI has stopped the monthly collection of garden refuse and bulk waste like old furniture. He said that there was an increase in the number of households disposing of these and many illegal dumpsites are cropping up. People are throwing garbage everywhere and it is becoming very difficult to locate the ever increasing locations of dumpsites. MBI workforce is finding it difficult to cope with the workload on garbage disposal.
However, he added that if residents in a housing estate get together and organise cleaning activities or gotong royong, MBI would assist in disposing the garbage.
MBI has given list of contractors whom individuals can call to collect garden refuse from their houses. It is up to the individual to negotiate the price.
Many rate payers do not accept the reason given by MBI. With more houses coming up, the revenue collected increases. MBI has also implemented a coupon parking system in many housing estates thus further increasing revenue. It is the responsibility of MBI to collect garden refuse.
During my evening walks I take different routes and notice that people are throwing garbage including garden waste and old furniture wherever they like. I have seen people coming in cars and throwing garbage. Residents living near a big illegal dumpsite in Merdeka Garden informed me that men come in lorries at night and throw construction waste. It is difficult to locate and collect garbage from all the sites.
If a person buys new furniture or an electrical item he can ask the shopkeeper to take away the old item. When I replaced my old mattress, the shopkeeper took away the old one. He informed me that he would give the old one to an orphanage. He is doing social work without publicity.
Even if MBI collects garden refuse once a month, if a person cuts his tree the day after collection, he must store it for one month before collection. Many residents pay their grass cutter extra money to dispose of garden waste.
Residents living in corner houses at road junctions beautify the piece of land at the road junction. Unscrupulous people throw garbage at this location.
The pamphlet also gives guideline on how to pack garden and bulk waste. Cleanliness is the responsibility of the public and we should follow the guidelines to prevent contracting diseases.
As far as disposal of garbage is concerned, the so-called educated and uneducated people do the same thing. It is up to civic-minded people to educate these people. With this type of mentality we cannot achieve first world status.
With the change of government, a new mayor will likely be appointed and ratepayers can take up the issue with him.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
