Demands for increased environmental monitoring in Bahrainwill be presented to authorities, amid concerns that illegal waste dumping is going on unchecked.
A municipal council is calling for a dedicated environmental inspection unit to be formed to combat the problem.
The idea is being championed by the Northern Municipal Council, specifically to tackle illegal waste dumping.
Only last week it sounded the alarm about piles of rubbish and construction waste, along with pools of stagnant rainwater, accumulating in areas of Hamad Town and Al Louzi.
It has now highlighted mounds of concrete, scrap metal, wood, chemical waste, paint, oil and other rubbish building up in Salmabad.
This is in addition to cars being abandoned in the area, which is home to a multitude of vehicle repair workshops.
“This problem has been ongoing for years,” complained council chairman Ahmed Al Kooheji.
“The main obstacle we’re facing is a lack of continuous monitoring, whether on private or public land - especially with trucks transporting and dumping construction waste in open wasteland.
“These patrols need to conduct inspection even at night because that is when these dumpers take advantage and discard their waste illegally.”
The issue again came up during the council’s weekly meeting yesterday.
Mr Al Kooheji said it would now campaign for the launch of a dedicated environmental inspection team at the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry.
“Inspectors need to be given the appropriate training on ways to deal with waste, while we also need to increase their numbers,” he said.
“During the previous council term there was a suggestion to the minister about having a separate inspection directorate, like in Kuwait.
“We could create an authority of environmental inspectors and provide them the required mechanisms.
“Their main duty would be to inspect the environment all over Bahrain, to reduce the burden on municipal officials.
“The environment inspectors could be trained in specialised areas and have authority to issue tickets for violations.
“They could be Bahrain’s eyes and monitor the environment 24 hours a day.”
Meanwhile, Mr Al Kooheji suggested the formation of a special team to conduct field visits to areas affected – and oversee follow-up efforts.
It follows a visit to areas in Hamad Town and Al Louzi last week, during which councillors guided government officials to sites blighted by illegal waste dumping and stagnant water.
“We don’t want these field visits to just result in pens on paper,” he explained.
We want actual results with an implementation plan and monitoring.
“We need to remove this waste and ensure ongoing inspections to tackle this issue, while also increasing awareness by distributing multi-language flyers to people working at garages and worksites about proper waste disposal.”
Fellow councillor Faisal Shabeeb suggested designated areas within constituencies for construction waste disposal.
“They can be set up in constituencies as special areas, fenced off to ensure space is provided for waste to prevent illegal dumping,” he said.
“This way violators can be fined because an official space would be provided and there can be no excuse.
“Waste can then be sifted through according to a time frame, organising the entire operation.
“Suitable construction waste can then be sent to companies that can recycle it.”
© Copyright 2019 www.gdnonline.com
Copyright 2019 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
