Kelera Ditaiki 
[Photo: Kelera Ditaiki]
For years, the Nabua mini-bridge has been clogged with waste, causing frequent overflows and leaving the area highly prone to flooding.
Resident Tivaknoa Tifere, who has lived in the area for more than 10 years, said it had been a long time since any clean-up had been carried out.
Today, around 50 National Fire Authority officers were mobilised to clear the long-neglected build-up of rubbish in the creek at the Nabua mini-bridge, downstream from the Fiji Muslim League settlement.
NFA training officer Kalisito Raduva warned that the decomposing waste poses serious health and safety risks to nearby residents, adding that it has been a major issue affecting the community for years.
“I think this is one of the causes when there is a heavy downpour, this bridge always goes underwater, just because of the flow of the water. That could be an obstacle, that could be a hindrance for people who are travelling to and from Suva, Nausori.”
The operation uncovered thick layers of household waste, plastics, and tins that had been accumulating for months or even years.
Authorities are urging the public to take responsibility for their waste, warning that dumping rubbish into waterways may clear an individual’s yard but creates significant health risks for the wider community.
