As it is a must-do job to keep the capital city clean and pollution-free, two city corporations of Dhaka have undertaken a massive work- plan for slaughtering sacrificial animals and removal of wastes to be generated from slaughtering, within 24 hours of observance of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslim community.

Corporations sources said more than 21,000 cleaners will work under the Dhaka North City Corporation and the Dhaka South City Corporation to remove wastes of animals within the stipulated time.

Besides, the two Dhaka city corporations have fixed 356 spots for sacrificing animals, of which, 256 lie in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) areas while 100 are in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) areas.

The DNCC has started distributing some 6 lakh special environment friendly bags among the citizens to reserve the sacrificial wastes while the DSCC has planned to remove animal wastes within the night on the Eid day so that citizens can get a clean, beautiful and waste free city.

DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam on Saturday urged city dwellers to sacrifice animals at the designated places for the better management of wastes.

The mayor made the call while holding a meeting on the garbage management during the Eid with officials and employees of the city corporation.

Atiqul also directed the officials and employees, who will remain involved with the garbage management, to do their duties properly.

The mayor said, “Like previous years, all wastes of sacrificial animals would be removed within 24 hours as around 10,000 tonnes of wastes are expected to be produced in the corporation areas on the day of Eid-ul-Azha,”

Atiqul said monitoring measures have been strengthened as health guidelines are being strictly followed at cattle markets in the wake of the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak while a monitoring committee comprising 10 ward councillors has already been formed to this end.

Additional manpower and vehicles have been allocated for proper disposal of sacrificial animals wastes, he added.

“At the field-level, a total of 11,508 cleaning staff including DNCC's own, outsourcing and Primary Waste Collection Service Provider (PWCSP) staffers and all levels of DNCC officials and employees will be ready for removing wastes,” said a DNCC official.

On the other hand, more than 10,000 cleaners including DSCC’s own and additional workers will be ready for removing wastes of sacrificial animals under the DSCC area, according to sources.

About the waste management, DSCC Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said, “We are rearranging the entire waste management system of the city. From now on all waste management will be operated from 6 pm in the evening to 6 am in the morning.”

“Our key purpose is to gift a clean city to the Dhaka dwellers,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the mayor, letters have been sent to the imams of each mosque in the DNCC areas to deliver sermons during Jummah Khutba raising awareness about sacrificing animals at the designated spots, and not dumping animal wastes here and there.

Besides, leaflets distribution, campaigning on social media, and playing recordings of awareness raising messages through loudspeakers are also being carried out urging the people to refrain from sacrificing animals here and there, and rather do the same at designated places maintaining hygiene and keeping wastes in specified bags to cooperate the authorities in proper waste management.