Public Relations Officer of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Royston King told this newspaper yesterday that smoke emanating from the Mandela Landfill had reduced considerably over the past two days and according to him teams from the M&CC, Ministry of Public Works as well as the Local Government ministry have been working round the clock to combat the problem. He said that there is the view that this most recent fire had been started by litter pickers or by spontaneous combustion from methane gas produced from decomposing waste material. As regards the presence of litter pickers on the site, King said that security at the site has been beefed up.
When this newspaper visited communities close to the Mandela Landfill yesterday, persons there stated that smoke emanating from the landfill, which has engulfed them for two weeks now, continues to affect them even though the problem had eased over the past two days. The residents mostly affected by smoke emanating from the landfill are those who live in West La Penitence, North East La Penitence, and Independence Boulevard as well as some parts of Albouystown.
A resident of Independence Boulevard told Stabroek News yesterday that she has had to seek sick leave from her place of employment for the past three days since according to her, she is experiencing respiratory problems as well as a flu. She said that she has sought treatment at a medical institution in the city and was diagnosed with flu-like symptoms. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said that she was most annoyed that no one in authority had visited her area to date to meet with residents to hear their concerns.
King said that workers from the Public Health Department of the M&CC have been mobilized and they are expected to visit persons residing in communities neighbouring the landfill site who may have been experiencing health problems.
Another resident living along Independence Boulevard told this newspaper that she has two children under the age of five while her in-laws live in the bottom flat of her home with two smaller children. All the children she noted had been experiencing respiratory problems, especially during the night.
Other residents in the area voiced similar concerns and according to a father of three living at West La Penitence, he and his children had been experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting in addition to respiratory problems since the dump site erupted two weeks ago.
He said that the authorities should move quickly to make the Haag Bosch facility at Eccles operational since according to him, the nearby landfill is a health hazard.
Over at North East La Penitence, residents there told this newspaper yesterday that the toxic smoke emanating from the landfill had forced them to close up their houses soon after 6 pm in the evenings within the past two weeks. They said the situation has eased a bit while some noted that the smoke as well as a strong stench emanating from the site has made their lives very uncomfortable over the past two weeks.
King told Stabroek News that plans are in train to have the much anticipated Haag Bosch facility operational early next year and according to him the Mandela Landfill will soon be closed and this process is presently on going.
Fires at the Mandela Landfill had been an ongoing issue, persons living close to the site were told to evacuate their homes during September last year when the site erupted. The Mandela Landfill has been a problem for over a decade while the Hague Bosch facility has been long-delayed. (Alva Solomon)
