Through the project ” Rehabilitation of illegal dumps on the river Lim and raising awareness about their identification “, implemented within the second call for proposals of the IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme Serbia-Montenegro 2014-2020, financed by the European Union, Utility Service “Usluga” has cleaned six illegal dumps in area of Priboj municipality.
Activities of the project are aimed at protecting the environment by removing illegal dumps, establishing a system of monitoring and raising awareness of people about the proper disposal of waste. The project is implemented by the Municipality of Bijelo Polje, Utility Company “Usluga” Priboj and NGO “Euromost” from Bijelo Polje. So far, within the project whose implementation began in January 2019, eliminated six illegal landfills in the municipality of Priboj were cleaned.
– Utility company “Usluga” has cleaned more than 6 illegal landfills envisaged by the project. We cleaned up the dump at the location near Sports Hall, near bus station Panja glava, the benches of the river Lim, which are quite long – from the new bridge to the old FAP Bridge, Banjski čamac and two sites near settlement Luka. As part of World Water Day, and later we cleaned the Coast of Lim River, in cooperation with the Eco Rafting Club Lim and the Office for Youth. During this action we collected more than 50 bags of waste. On some sites, unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals started disposing smaller amounts of garbage, but also the soil and construction waste – says the director of the Utility Company “Usluga” Željko Ječmenica.
In order to prevent re-creation of illegal dumps, at the cleaned sites it is envisaged placement of garbage containers. Previous experience proved that this infrastructure is not enough, the plan is to be set up video surveillance system at most endangered sites, which would reduce the possibility for citizens to dispose waste in places not envisaged for that purpose.
– Within the project we received 30 containers of 1.1 cubic meters, which will be placed on cleaned sites and other places. The greening of cleaned sites is envisaged – by project we were supported with procurement of 60 birch seedlings and 30 seedlings of pine and fir – said Ječmenica.
The project has established SOS eco or green line through which citizens may report illegal dumping of waste, but its effects are so far very limited. Ječmenica recalls that there is a visible improvement in awareness of citizens about environmental protection and proper waste disposal.
The project of cleaning illegal dumps lasts for 12 months and should be completed by 30 December 2019.
