`LIVING GREEN – DO NOT THROW WASTE INTO RIVERS`
26.02.2013
The riverbed of Gabrovacka river, in the settlement Crvena Zvezda, Palilula Municipality, for months and months was one true ruined location and then, after the initiative of Boban Dzunic, president of Palilula Municipality, volunteers – employees in the Municipality and representatives of civil society organizations, only for one day, cleaned the devastated location around the river around the bridge near PMF – Faculty of Natural Science and showed the fellow citizens how it is possible to change everything if there is a true will. Under the motto LIVING GREEN – DO NOT THROW WASTE INTO RIVERS 40 volunteers used beautiful weather and free day and for a few hours totally cleaned this location.

The appeal of the citizens from Crvena Zvezda settlement came first and soon was followed with this action. They complained that the riverbed in their nearness is actually full of house waste, bottles and other plastic objects, car wires... Municipal communal inspection, that is authorized to proceed and act on public surfaces at the territory of the Municipality, reacted in a fast way and informed the Republic water inspection about this problem – the institution that is only authorized for further reacting. However, nothing changed.

`As it is generally known, said Dzunic, president of Palilula Municipality, we appealed many times that wild landfills must not be created anywhere, we wanted to raise the consciousness of our citizens when communal hygiene is in focus. On the Municipal territory, according to our knowledge, there are over 30 wild landfills. Some of them with our organized actions we have already transformed into green oases and we also have put some mobiliars for children to play. The most `famous` wild landfill here nearby in Crvena Zvezda settlement is located and now one more is in the very riverbed. About the state at the terrain we have informed the authorized inspections, public communal enterprises, City Council. Every single of them is authorized for a part, but nothing about coordinated action regarding this matter. For the fact that this cannot wait anymore, and for the fact that people are calling all the time and insist on solving the problem, we decided to connect volunteers and with our example appealed on our citizens, neighbors – people who actually appealed themselves first, to come and be part of this action. As you can see only one citizen came today.`

`I live here nearby, by the river, and I see every single waste that is brought along the water. That is why I came today after the president call and I want to help the young who came to this action, says Zivojin Stancic. Water is crucial for life and it is a source of life and should not be dirty. This kind of actions I can greet only and I will like to come and help always when it is necessary. Me and my first neighbroh freguently clean this riverbed, also cut big grass. But according to my opinion, the biggest problem is upstream, toward the river spring. There are the true polluters. When water comes, all that waste go to Nisava. Part stays here on the riverbed`.

Danijela Banicevic, volunteer, emphasizes that she wanted in this way to show how it is nice to keep nature clean and also living surrounding. `It is specially important to raise the consciusness of the citizens about this problem. We are here like volunteers, unfortunatelly not many of the citizens responded to the appeal. I want to emphasize that in the year when we celebrate 1700 years of Milan Edict, it is necessary to make this part of this town also clean.`

In Palilula Municipality they hope that this action will be the call to all citizens who live by the waste landfills to organize themselves. The Municipality always helps citizen initiative with mechanisation and additional helping material. Palilula Municipality is according to Boban Dzunic words, in project way one of the most active municipalities in Serbia. Palilula is programme partner and participant in many ecological projects of national and international importance such as: Clean up the World, STOP to climate changes, One day on Earth, Energy efficiency in construction, Stop to wild landfills, realized with Media ecological net EKOpolis and consortium of civil societies organizations, regulated with Memos on cooperation. This activity of the authorities of Palilula Municipality is the introduction into LIVING GREEN –cross border cooperation of Serbia-Bulgaria, that will be implemented in the teritory of Palilula Municipality and Bulgarian Municipality of Ihtiman and will be realized this year with the helpd of EU aiming at raising of citizens responsibility in the region regarding living environment.