Sittwe residents complain of smell emanating from local garbage dump

By Admin 10 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
10 June 2023, Sittwe

Local residents in Mingan Ward Nos. 2 and 3 have complained about the smell from the rubbish dump near the railroad that passes through their neighbourhoods.

The foul odour is causing health problems for nearby residents, some of whom have had to receive medical treatment for respiratory problems.

“The smell has negative impacts on local residents. Some of my family members have hypertension and heart disease. They have suffered from breathing problems due to the smell of the waste. Sometimes, they need to see a doctor,” said U Maung Sein from Mingan Ward No. 2.

There are 18 wards in the Mingan neighbourhood, and the majority of residents dump their household waste at the garbage dump near Mingan ward Nos. 2 and 3. Municipal garbage trucks, however, do not collect garbage from that dump regularly, according to residents.

“The smell gives me a terrible headache. After the storm, many people dump mangoes in the garbage almost every day, which has attracted a lot of flies. I cannot stand the smell,” said Daw Thandaw of Mingan Ward No. 3.

DMG also saw household and kitchen waste scattered around the dump on Friday. Locals have expressed concerns for their health as the garbage dump is not only giving off a terrible smell, but also attracting large numbers of mosquitoes and flies.

The problem has worsened since Cyclong Mocha made landfall near Sittwe on May 14, as many people have dumped debris at the garbage dump in the weeks that have followed, said U Soe Myint of Mingan Ward No. 1.

“It is the rainy season now, so we have concerns about our health,” he said.

Daw Thandar from Mingan Ward No. 3 has urged municipal authorities to collect the garbage regularly. When asked by DMG, executive officer Daw Khin Khin Soe of the Sittwe Township Development Committee declined to answer, saying she was busy at a meeting.

Local civil society organisations said littering is also to be blamed for the sprawling garbage dumps that increasingly have come to characterise neighbourhoods in the Arakan State capital.