Goal of cleaning up Duquesa landfill fails

Santo Domingo.– The goal proposed by the Public Works Ministryof finishing today the project of cleaning up the Duquesa landfill and itssurroundings was not reached.

The works included the repair of the internal road network,and the access roads to the garbage dump, the construction of an underpassbetween the Jacobo Majluta and the Los Casabes highway, the asphalting ofstreets and the construction of sidewalks and gutters in the Los Casabes community.

However, the project showed as of Sunday only 50% completion.Public Works minister Gonzalo Castillo had said last 9 December he hoped the landfillcrisis could be overcome in 30 to 45 days.

The landfill’s administrator, Rijo Melendez said that of thenine platforms for dumping refuse, only three are able to be used to unload. "Thereason is that where the platforms are is where Public Works is fixing up theinternal roads."

Melendez also referred to the possibility of designating aplatform for the exclusive use of the National District City Council (ADN). "Whatwe have done is to give them facilities because they are the largest providersof refuse…., and they will dump in a place where other trucks cannot get tobecause of the poor state of the road. Here, nobody has platforms."