"It's time to take responsibility for the environment in which we live", said the citizens of Chircăieștii Noi, Baurci and Ciuflești villages and set to work
The people from Chircăieștii Noi and Baurci villages have long understood that they are the ones who must get involved in solving their problems in their localities, through mobilization and civic association. This way, they managed to solve the problem of drinking water in the locality. They worked hard to set up the communal water supply service and this encouraged them to go further. Their enthusiasm also served as a source of inspiration for the Ciuflești community. Therefore, the municipality of Ciuflești has partnered with the municipality of Chircăieștii Noi, to apply with a joint project to create a communal service on solid waste management with the support of the project “Mă Implic”.
The three villages are in a picturesque area with tourist potential. The area is suitable for the development of hiking trails or arranging tourist stops. But, unfortunately, due to the lack of a communal solid waste management service, on the over 8000 ha of agricultural lands, forest strips, and meadows, near the localities, over 2500 tons of waste were dumped unauthorized. Waste increases the pollution level of water, soil, and air in the locality, seriously affecting the health of the locals.
The numerous sanitary and ecological actions, organized by the municipalities, with the invitation of the volunteers, raised the awareness level of the citizens regarding the waste problem in the villages. During the meetings of the Community Initiative Team, people have managed to develop a highly active civic spirit and through their actions, they demonstrate the care and the spirit of belonging to the place of living.
Last year, in Chircăieștii Noi commune, was instituted the sanitation tax with the majority support of the citizens. The accumulated funds are intended for sanitation and maintenance of public spaces. Also, from these funds were purchased big bags for households, in which plastic and glass are already selectively stored. Even though the communal solid waste management service is not yet launched, people are already getting used to select the waste. Unauthorized landfills began to be liquidated, and communities have taken responsibility for monitoring and preventing the unauthorized dumping of waste in the region.
In the period 2021-2023, the commune Chircăieștii Noi, in association with the village Ciuflești, will implement a project aimed to improve the solid waste management service, with the support of the Project “MĂ IMPLIC”, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by SKAT Consulting. Following the signed agreement, the municipality will benefit from funding (maximum 65,000 CHF), consulting, and capacity building services. The Project “MĂ IMPLIC” will help the LPA and the service provider not only to improve the infrastructure but also to develop long-term approaches to keep this infrastructure in good shape and to have sustainable models for financing the provision of services. In our work, we will ensure that local citizens, employees of LPAs, NGOs, economic agents are actively involved in modernizing public services in the community and especially that the less advantaged have equal access to these services.
