Get rid of rubbish properly, cut down health risk, people told

LANDOWNERS in the Ahi local level government area of Morobe are urged to be more careful how they get rid of their waste to minimise debris being washed into the Butibam village and other areas when it rains, president Malcolm Kalo says.
He said the on-going issue over the years had put the lives of Butibam villagers and neighbouring communities at risk.
“This issue is not only at Butibam village but other local Ahi villages also faced the same problem when Lae experience heavy rainfall,” Kalo said.
“The drain was designed to cater for storm water only and not household or industrial wastes.
“Landowners in Ahi villages now have to discuss this issue with their tenants and find means to properly dump waste coming from mainly settlements in the Kamkumung area and other neighbouring places.
“Rubbish are dumped into the drain starting at Kamkumung and when it piles up, drain systems are blocked leading to these wastes making their way into the village.
“We now have to talk with authorities like the city council, go into an agreement to pay them and let them come and pick those rubbish.”
Kalo said a proposal had been made to widen the drains for freer flow of rubbish, but the problem was that the rubbish would end up in the sea and pollute the marine environment.
Kalo suggested authorities responsible to assist get the rubbish dumped in an environmentally-friendly manner and avoid polluting the marine environment.
He also pointed out that many settlers there were still using pit toilets and when heavy rainfall was experienced, wastes from the toilet went adrift and floated into the local residential areas.
“This is a huge concern and we have to find some ways immediately to get this problem fixed once and for all,” Kalo said.