THE environment is one of the greatest challenges facing us as we stand on the threshold of a new millennium. We have passed the point when it is

understanding of our. evermore pressing problems. We must now find real and

lasting solutions. It is now widely accepted that we must change the way we do many things in order to put our economy on the path towards sustainable development.

We threaten our environment at least In one way — by being totally callous about the proper disposal of our domestic refuse. Our garbage pits are usually filled with organic materials — materials like food articles, natural fibres and vegetable oilproducts of living things.

Carelessly deposited garbage was for centuries a prime source of disease whether through the infection of water supplies or as a breeding ground and food source for flies, rats and other enters of disease. Because pigs were often permitted to feed on raw

garbage they contracted such diseases as trichinosis, which was then passed along to

may Infect other animals as well which comes to feast at the refuse. As this refuse be-

comes a food source of some animals like dogs and cats, we often have to bear with the unpleasant noise they make while fighting each other over their meal: besides the putrid stench coming out of the mess is simply unbearable!

Now the first step to be taken to redress the garbage disposal problem is to develop a civic sense and be very particular about dumping garbage in the right place — inside the garbage pit. Though it is a pity that there are insufficient garbage pits all over Bangladesh we should nevertheless make the best use of the garbage pits we already have. People should dump their domestic refuse right inside the garbage pits and not Just in front of them. We should make sure that ev-

ery kitchen has a garbage — can and also t^iat garbage originating In the’kitchen are dumped inside those cans. The servants should be well instructed about the proper disposal of garbage; they should first put the garbage originating in the kitchen into polythene bagsand tie a knot, so that the garbage doesn't come out.

Then the polythene bags should be taken outside the house and dumped into the community garbage pit. The City Corporation garbage trucks will then come and collect the garbage and take it to the refuse dumping site. The City Corporation Should keep the garbage disposal trucks in proper order. It is not an uncommon sight that the shutters of the garbage trucks remain open — mainly because of rust in the shutters. As a result pefuse is spilt all over the streets and make the air unbearably smelly — not to mentioned the horrible sight.

Isn't night-soil a better synonym for garbage which is carried in this stocks? If .so, the DCC should be more particular about carrying night-soil only at mld-nlghtt This gives us all the more reason to use polythene bags — at least then all the DCC trucks will be picking up is a bundle of polythene bags and not Just raw stinking garbage all the way!

It would not be wise to compare our garbage disposal system with that of the more developed countries of the world.