Residents of the Northern Governorate have been urged to leave their rubbish out in designated bins or collection zones, rather than in front of their homes, and only between 8pm and 10pm everyday.
According to a circular, distributed in areas including Ramli, those who fail to follow the rules and dump garbage before or after the designated time could be fined up to BD300.
The Northern Municipal Council confirmed that the measures were being taken to enhance public cleanliness and sanitation and facilitate the collection of waste.
An official said the rules were only in place in neighbourhoods where bins and containers have been distributed. Those without the bins are exempted.
“The rules do not apply to localities that have a lot of ongoing construction projects, for example,” the official said in a statement yesterday.
“Bins will not be distributed in those zones until most projects are completed.
“These new measures will help rubbish collectors save time as all efforts can be concentrated in certain areas.
“By giving people a timeframe, we can keep the environment clean and aesthetically pleasing, as it means we won’t see piles of rubbish during the day.”
The circular, by the municipality in co-operation with waste management company Urbaser-Bahrain, has been distributed in several regions across the Northern Governorate.
It urged people to stick to the timeframe and follow the new rules and regulations – or risk being fined.
“The municipal council would like to ask people to take out their rubbish for collection every night between 8pm and 10pm,” it said.
“Do not put them outside homes, instead drop them in designated bins or collection zones.
“Those who break the rules will face fines ranging from BD50 to BD300. We would like to emphasise the importance of co-operating with the authorities and municipal workers to ensure garbage collectors are able to do their jobs as smoothly and efficiently as possible.”
An image of one such flyer from Ramli has been circulated widely on social media platforms over the past two days, with mixed reactions from members of the public.
Some people have praised the decision, stating that it would bring a much-needed structure and organisation to rubbish collection and keep the environment clean.
Others, however, called for a longer timeframe for dropping garbage at the bins as some people may not be home during those hours, especially during weekends.
Urbaser-Bahrain explained the reasoning behind the timelines.
“All rubbish collection will take place around midnight,” a company representative told the GDN.
“Collecting garbage from a single point rather than stopping at one house at a time would ensure we get it done as soon as possible, and leave the environment clean for everyone the next day.”
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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