Towards a clean environment

a lesser extent, the growth points, residents are seen throwing litter everywhere without regard to the consequences of their action. While residents are expected to know better not to throw away rubbish and wait for it to be collected, failing which they could complain to city health authorities, but, the main culprits of environmental pollution are vendors.
This menace of vendors is being tolerated for political reasons. City and town management have their hands tied behind their backs when political councillors fail to appeal to their constituents to desist from conducting their informal business where there are no adequate health facilities.
The major disaster for the environment is where vendors sell foodstuffs in the open, in many cases, in undesignated areas. It does not need emphasising that all areas where foodstuffs are sold should be approved by the city and town council health departments.
Another menace from the vendors is selling their products in front of supermarkets. These supermarkets pay a lot of money in rates and other taxes. Surely, they deserve protection from the city and town council authorities. Customers that frequent these supermarkets are harassed by these vendors each time they come to do their legitimate shopping.
Where are the ablution facilities for these vendors? No wonder why the outbreaks of typhoid and cholera and sometimes, diarrhoea and dysentery, are on the increase. What is difficult to understand is why this situation has been allowed to prevail for so long. International health organisations are implored to come and assist to treat the sick from environmental negligence either by residence or local authorities.
Some residents have resorted to burning the litter while others are dumping the trash in open spaces where vendors and dogs compete to salvage the leftovers. It is this complete inaction by the local authorities that has contributed to the health hazards.
Some diseases that are known to thrive in this environmental degradation, to mention just one highly contagious viral killer, Tuberculosis (TB). Although it is known by health experts that TB has been the major symptom of those with a reduced immune system, mainly caused by HIV, it can thrive in unhygienic conditions.
What then can be done to reduce the menace of environmental damage caused by throwing litter in undesignated places? Education has been known to be the best tool all over the world. For example, commuters in kombis should be told by the kombi crew or bus crews that, although eating as they travel is allowed, litter should not be thrown out of the window.
This menace is not only attributed to kombis and buses but also to other vehicle occupants like cars, lorries etc. At one time I saw two men cruising in a new Mercedes Benz throwing kaylite boxes on to the street. On being asked why they were throwing trash, one of them said that, he wanted the city council workers to have something to sweep away.
It is sad that even those who should know better about the causes of disease from litter require education. In countries such as, Singapore, the acts of throwing litter around would trigger a fine or hours of community service against the culprits.
The city and town councils cannot resort to arresting the culprits who cause environmental damage until they have provided the means to dispose litter and have repaired all the leaking sewer pipes.
It is one thing to expect residents to abide by the environmental ordinances or by-laws while the councils themselves are in breach of the same laws and regulations. If councils put their houses in order, then they can insist on by-laws being obeyed by the residents and vendors.