THE unregulated dumping of unsegregated waste on random locations and the acute shortage of landfill space pose a serious health hazard to residents of Rajshahi, a city acclaimed for its greenery and cleanliness. The Rajshahi City Corporation is reported to be struggling to manage the growing volume of municipal and commercial waste. The only landfill, in the Nawdapara area operational since 2004, exceeded its capacity two to three years ago. Consequently, waste is now dumped indiscriminately, by the roads, in residential areas and even in front of educational institutions, raising grave health and environmental concern. Despite the generation of an estimated 400 tonnes of municipal and commercial waste daily, the authorities fail to collect nearly a quarter of it. The landfill remains in a dire state, with mounds of unsegregated waste piled up along the Rajshahi鈥揅hapainawabganj Highway and in front of the Rajshahi Residential College. Leachate from the landfill is reportedly seeping into nearby farming areas, exacerbating the environmental impact. Residents have voiced concern about the unbearable stench from the leachate and a noticeable increase in the population of flies and mosquitoes.
Health experts have warned that such reckless waste disposal could lead to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, dengue, skin infections and respiratory problems. The risk is particularly high during the monsoon, when rainwater carries waste into water bodies and residential areas. The indiscriminate dumping of all kinds of waste 鈥� municipal, commercial, medical, and wet market 鈥� without any segregation significantly heightens the risk of infection and environmental pollution. What is equally troubling is that Rajshahi lacks basic infrastructure for waste segregation, composting and recycling which is an example of systemic neglect. Urban development experts have repeatedly criticised the absence of recycling facilities which also reflects a nationwide failure. While cities around the world adopt the 鈥榬educe, reuse, and recycle鈥� scheme and embrace waste-to-wealth technologies to manage municipal waste efficiently, Bangladesh continues to lag behind. Cities, including Rajshahi, struggle even to collect and dispose of waste safely and sustainably. In Rajshahi, food and vegetable waste alone accounts for more than 71 per cent of the total municipal waste. With the availability of technologies, such organic waste could easily be converted into energy. Yet, the authorities have failed to initiate any such programmes.
Given Rajshahi鈥檚 potential for well-planned urban development, city authorities should act without delay. Constructing a sanitary landfill, expanding waste transfer and collection infrastructure, enforcing mandatory waste segregation at source and investing in composting, recycling and waste-to-energy solutions are all essential to avert a looming public health and environmental crisis.