Report: Michella Sassine and Bernard Zoghbi
Translated by: Aline Aoun
NNA - Koura Municipalities Union has been seeking for nearly three years to finance the set up of the waste sorting plant on the European way, and secures funding process from the European Union. Also the union is working according to its criteria and environmental conditions to prevent any environmental damage.
The locals opposed the project, fearing any pollution or odors coming from it as well as the lack of confidence in the state that had already promised them of a number of developmental projects but had failed to implement them.
In this context, the mayor of al-Majdal Najat Al Zoghbi had confirmed in an interview with the National News Agency that "the project of establishing a waste sorting plant in Koura preserves the climate and keeps the environment clean far from burning and landfill, which cause foul odors and pollution in the soil."
She pointed out that during meetings at the municipal council she had raised the idea and made it clear that the waste sorting plant would be away from housing and would not cause any damage, according to a study of environmental experts, as well as it would provide job opportunities for the locals of Koura.
Zoghbi also said that she was seeking to organize a trip with the President of Koura Municipalities Union, Engineer Karim Bou Karim, to visit the waste sorting plant in Tyre which has been operating for 13 years without any environmental damage or any complaint from the people.
"It is close to restaurants and parks. My aim was to show Koura residents how these plants work, we take their feedback and seek to persuade them of the importance of the existence of the waste treatment plant in Koura," Zoghbi stressed.
She added that the municipality, which hosts plant sorting and treatment of waste takes on one ton $ 6 which is equivalent to the 350 thousand dollars per year. "This is very positive to the host town because the plant needs workers and the priority will be given to the people of the town and then to the sons of Koura in general."
Zoghbi said that the implementation of the administrative decentralization helps municipalities to take urgent and necessary decisions for the citizens and to deliver their voice honestly and transparently because they know the needs of the citizens.
"Decentralization helps us to take the decision to establish a small plant at the town level and in case an approval has been achieved to set up a waste sorting plant, we bring coated medium-sized trucks on the European way to collect the garbage from Koura towns to prevent the leak of any dirt on the roads or any smells, as we have studied with the President of the Union," Zoghbi explained.
"Each municipality will benefit from the waste money according to the weight of trash," she said. Zoghbi refused to set up a landfill or to resort to incineration because this would harm the environment, human health, soil therefore would pollute the underground water.
