Currently, almost all the markets in the districts have no refuse bins, a development which is putting lives of people in danger.

Phalombe District Council Environmental Officer, Suzgo Gondwe, told Zodiak Online Wednesday that the scenario is because the council has problems generating adequate market revenue which could, otherwise, be used to procure sanitary equipment.

Gondwe acknowledges that not a single bin exists in all the council’s markets.

“We were able to buy sanitary equipment such as bins, shovels, protective gear and wheelbarrows, but this time we cannot afford to buy such equipment since the project phased out,” said Gondwe.

The equipment, he said, was bought using Local Development Fund (LDF) MASAF 4 project funds.

Gondwe now says the council is planning to engage the health office to conduct a clean-up campaign at Phalombe market anytime soon.

Market vendor, Haji Idrissah, says he hopes something will be done soon as the situation at the markets is pathetic.

“For months now, we have been reporting to council authorities, but to no avail,” he said.