By Mustapha Jallow
Residents living in close proximity to the neighbourhood market called ‘Marche Tayal’ at Tallinding are once again raising their 
concern over the health threat being posed by the uncollected garbage which is becoming a perennial problem for them. They are gravely concern about the exposure of their kids to the dumpsite situated in their midst and which is piling up and not being collected.
The said residents, who are parents, have always been reporting the issue of uncollected garbage to Foroyaa for the purpose of publication and with the view to attract the attention of the responsible local authorities to get them to act by clearing and relocating the dumpsite. They again contacted this reporter on Saturday, 3 October, 2015, immediately after the monthly ‘Set Setal’ cleansing exercise to come over and see why it is necessary for the garbage to be removed.
HuhaBadjie, one of the compound heads in the neighbourhood who has been complaining about the garbage, reiterated their concern for the garbage to be relocated to another place. He said the garbage poses a real threat particularly to the health of their children who always play in the street where it is dumped. “It is not only a hazard to health but blocks the road and restricts movement of people and vehicles,” he lamented.
He showed the reporter the filth generated by the dump and the worms, flies and other insects that use it as a breeding ground.
Mr. Badjie said during the day the flies coming from the dumpsite make life difficult for them and at night the mosquitoes also take their turn to make their lives ‘miserable’. “We could not eat in the open because of the flies. We could not stay outside because of the stench. We could not sleep in our houses at night because of the mosquitoes,” he complained.
He called on the KMC to find a lasting solution for the garbage dump at Marche Tayal.
“We are really tired of complaining about the same problem to the same people who should be fixing it but without any solution. We have always been reporting the matter but nothing is being done about it to solve it once and for all,” said Mrs. HaddySowe, a housewife and mother.
Mrs. Sowe said they have been the ones who were going out to collect donation in order to pay for the removal of the garbage which is often piled there.
“It is our kids whose health is endangered by the garbage as they would always want to go outside to play football with their friends. We always stop them from going out but we cannot be doing this all the time,” she revealed.
Jarriatou, a passerby, also expressed concern over the uncollected garbage which sometimes hinders movement. “I don’t live in the immediate neighbourhood but this is the shortest route which I can take to the main road when I’m going to work. But I’m sometimes forced to take another route when the garbage blocks the whole street,” she said.
She also called on the municipal authorities to find a quick solution to the problem of this dumpsite which, she added, is an environmental and health hazard to those who live nearby as well as the passersby.
