Baghdad government has sent Kirkuk Municipality only 500 Iraqi Dinars ($0.42) for the collection and disposal of each ton of rubbish.
For the entire year of 2020, the Iraqi government has sent an amount of 200 million Iraqi Dinars (around $168,000) for the collection and disposal of rubbish in the city of Kirkuk. This while 300 tons of rubbish is collected per day in the city.
Faraydun Adil, head of Kirkuk Municipality, told KirkukNow: “Baghdad has reduced Kirkuk’s clean-up budget from 1,2 billion [around $1 million] to only 200 million Dinars [around $168,000]. And that’s the main cause for the problems regarding rubbish in the city.”
According the Municipality’s numbers, 1300 tons of rubbish is currently collected and disposed of every day. That leaves, from the amount Baghdad has sent, only about $0.42 for each ton that has to be collected and disposed of.
there is no other fund for rubbish collection in the city
Adil stressed that “there is no other fund for rubbish collection in the city.”
“We have met with Kirkuk Administration several times and asked them to find a solution for this issue, but the issue is still not resolved,” he added.
Kirkuk residents are discontent and complaining about the piled-up rubbish on some streets and alleys.
Adil said: “Next to the small budget, we also lack equipment. We are planning to visit Baghdad and meet with the minister of Municipalities and Public Works in order to find a solution for this issue.”
Adil also complained about some of the city’s residents: “Wherever they go, they throw out trash, and that makes the city’s clean-up process more difficult.”
