Herat municipality expands waste collection after Pajhwok report

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Following the publication of a Pajhwok report highlighting concerns over the accumulation of waste in the capital of western of Herat, several residents say that sanitation conditions have improved in recent days. The city municipality has also reported an increase in the volume of waste collected.

On 31 December, Pajhwok Afghan News published a report titled “Herat Residents Urge Frequent Waste Collection, Demand More Dustbins.” Residents had voiced concern over the accumulation of waste in some areas of the city and called on relevant authorities to prioritise regular waste collection and the installation of additional dustbins.

They told Pajhwok that the spread of waste across the city had contributed to the proliferation of diseases and stressed that dustbins must be emptied on time.

However, some residents now say that the city’s sanitation situation has improved.

Bilal Ahmad, a resident of the Minara area, said that waste which had accumulated around the minarets for some time is now collected and removed on schedule, and that the continuation of this process could protect local people from various diseases.

Mohammad Nasir, a resident of the 15th municipal district, expressed satisfaction with the municipality’s sanitation team, stating that, despite a dustbin being installed in their alley; mobile teams collect waste house-to-house every two days and transport it away.

He urged the authorities to pay even greater attention to waste management so that residents do not face problems during the hot season.

Increase in waste collection volume from 800 to 900 cubic metres per day

On 30 December, the Herat municipality stated that approximately 800 cubic metres of waste were collected daily from the city and transported to areas outside the city.

However, Naser Armal, spokesman for the municipality, now says that this figure has increased to 900 cubic metres per day, collected and transported outside the city by the municipality’s sanitation teams.

Armal praised the role of the media in addressing social problems and cooperating with the relevant authorities, adding that the Herat municipal administration is now operating in a more organised and coordinated manner.

He noted that cleaning canals, collecting waste, and sweeping streets and pavements are among the daily activities of the municipality’s sanitation staff, carried out in two shifts around the clock.

Armal called on residents to cooperate with sanitation workers by placing waste in designated areas to help keep the city clean.

sa