DSCTDA gets tough with Asaba residents over indiscriminate wastes dumping

“I can’t imagine when somebody driving in a jeep can come early in the morning to the street in Asaba, Delta State with two or three sacks of refuse and openly drop them in the drainage.

“We might apply some other unconventional style to deal with them. Since they do it in the hiding, we may also deal with them in the hiding because I can’t understand why someone will carry his or her children in the car and decide to dump wastes on the road.”

That is the observation of the Director-General of Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (@DSCTDA), Chief Patrick Ukah who said the agency is doing everything possible to make Asaba take its rightful position where environmental laws are obeyed to enhance the cleanliness of the town.

Ukah, who addressed journalists after inspection of the first phase, the de-silting of drainages in Asaba, said the exercise was being carried out to allow free flow of water in gutters and curb flood challenges experienced in some areas of the capital territory.

Some of the areas visited included TA Munoz Street, Hon. Justice Fred Oho Street, George Odiaka Street, FJ Street and Sunny Areh Avenue.

Others inspected were Interbau roundabout, DBS Road, WAEC Road, Madonna way, Transteel Road and Life and Power Street, among others where the agency engaged workers to clear completely blocked gutters occasioned by indiscriminately dumping of refuse by residents.

At the DBS collection point of water from some of the streets and others, a caterpillar was at work during the visit,  removing sand and other debris,  including household wastes from the multibillion naira storm water drainage completed by the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

The director-general fumed over the lackadaisical attitude of people on wastes disposal said: “From the work we have done and seeing the drains we have gone through, you will find out that most of them were blocked, especially the manholes.

“I see no reason why people living in the capital city cannot register with PSP to dispose  their bins.

“Automatically, it is easier for us to hold PSP responsible for not clearing the dustbins in front of houses.

“Most of residents did not register. Most of them turned the area and drains around the houses to dustbins, it is disheartening.

“We will use the law to follow them. In our mobile court sitting in Asaba and Okpanam, we had more than 50 defaulters appearing. Those who fail to appear, we issue bench warrant and we must make sure that the full weight of the law comes upon them.

“Asaba is a beautiful city and we will continue to do everything possible to make sure we make the city more beautiful, everybody is turning his house into shops and makeshift stalls. We will not tolerate that.

“We are ready, not deterred to make the capital territory clean and, let me warn that anybody who want to make this place a dustbin, we will show that person where to stay.

Ukah reminded the people that throwing wastes like cans, sachet water, peels of fruits, among others from a moving vehicle amounts to environmental law offence, adding that the disrespect for urban planning laws by residents, commercial traders, hoteliers and business owners in the capital territory will no longer be tolerated.

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