Steps to keep Dhaka clean this Eid
To keep the city clean and speed up the management of waste, blood and leftovers disposal after slaughters of sacrificial cattle during the Eid, both the city corporations – Dhaka North and Dhaka South, have taken several measures.
To stop slaughters of the cattle in an unplanned way, specific spots – 595 in number – have been designated in the city to sacrifice animals for the first time.
The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area will have 324 spots and Dhaka North City Corporation area will have 271 spots.
It is customary for people to sacrifice animals in any open area in front of their houses or on the roads and alleys, leaving smelly piles of animal parts lying around on the roads. In addition to risk of diseases it also lowers the quality of life.
Chief Estate Officer of DNCC Aminul Islam said people would have to butcher animals at the selected places.
Though there are 271 spots so far, he said, the number might go up before Eid if necessary.
Aminul said people would have to keep the waste and leftovers in particular bags and the DNCC garbage management workers would collect those from the spots.
Imams and other relevant persons would be on hand to help with the slaughters, but people would have to bring their own butchers and necessary meat processing tools, he said.
Aminul said they had already taken different measures to create public awareness including advertisements in print and electronic media and involving imams.
DNCC Superintendent Engineer (garbage management department) Mesbahul Karim said 3,500 garbage management workers would work during Eid days and 350 additional labourers would clean all the makeshift cattle markets in the areas.
He said 22 dump trucks, eight pay-loaders, three tire loaders, seven water tankers, three excavators and four bulldozers would be used to clean cattle markets and slaughtering grounds.
They would distribute free biodegradable polythene bags for garbage, he said.
In Dhaka South, a total of 70,000 free sacks and 30,000 free polythene shopping bags would be distributed among the city dwellers, informed Capt Raquib Uddin, chief waste management officer of DSCC.
Capt Raquib Uddin said they would set up four sheds in each of its 57 wards so that people could take shelter there if there is rain.
Different awareness campaigns, including announcement through loudspeakers two days before Eid, would be taken up, he said, adding that 57,000 leaflets would be distributed.
He said they had sent letters to imams of every mosque in a bid to making people aware.
A central coordination committee and ward-based committees involving ward councillors would be formed for better waste management, he said.
For garbage management in Dhaka South during Eid, 5,200 garbage management workers, 3,000 primary collection service providers, 135 open trucks, 73 container carriers, 17 compactors and 325 containers would be used. Besides, 1,200 additional labours would also work on a daily basis to keep the part of the city clean, Raquib said.
Ten pay-loaders, seven tire dozers, 35 dumpers and four trailers would be used to clean the makeshift cattle markets in his area.
He said they would also provide 341 drums of bleaching powder at the slaughter grounds and the cattle markets to reduce and remove malodour.
They would also spray water with antiseptic on narrow lanes and by-lanes in every ward.