People travel near Kandal provincial hall in June last year. Hong Menea
The Kandal Provincial Hall has instructed town, district and commune administrations to establish committees and sub-committees to establish clear waste management mechanisms. The move intends to ensure the community remains clean and green.
Provincial governor Kong Sophorn gave the instruction in a April 25 letter seen by The Post on April 27.
The letter said committees would be responsible for preparing documents and instructions, as well as well as making decisions on how to best address any challenges. They should promote, support and ensure the process of solid waste management and clean-green communities within their jurisdiction.
“They must determine measures to reduce and eliminate the disorderly dumping of solid waste in public places, and monitor the provision of collection services on a regular basis. They should also expand waste collection services to ensure sustainability, efficiency and the protection of the environment,” he said.
Committees should prepare regular action plans, including clean-green community campaigns across their jurisdictions that will reduce – and eventually eliminate – the dumping of waste in public places and in or near water sources.
“In order for the community to be clean and green, we must encourage people to pay and utilise waste collection services. This will ensure that they are sustainable in the accordance with the principles of equity in the use of services and socio-economic conditions,” he added.
Sophorn also instructed authorities at all levels to take strict measures against those who throw rubbish in the fields and do not follow the authorities’ instructions. Waste on the streets affects the areas beauty and affects the environment, he said, adding that it also compromised the health of local residents.
Kong Noem, Roka Chonloeng commune chief in Khsach Kandal district, said the commune had not yet set up a sub-committee, but authorities acted as role models by collecting rubbish in collaboration with teachers and students.
Noem said the education of local people does not seem to be effective, as many of them still threw rubbish away in public places. Commune authorities plan to fine those who litter. He said the fines would be increased in stages, with the first steps being to warn offenders.
Heng Yonkura, executive director of the Community Sanitation and Processing Organisation, said it was important that the members were experienced and understood waste management.
