Dragan Ninkovic, a traffic engineer, had worked at “Autocentar Petrovic” before he got a position of a director of “Parking – Sabac”, the Public Utility Company. He was a member of the Managing Board of the Serbian Parking Association, a team member for “Development, finance, construction, maintenance and management of the public parking garage in Sabac” through a model of public-private partnership, and also a member of granting concession team for public transportation on territory of the city of Sabac. Having hold the position of the manager at “Stari grad“, the Public utility company in Sabac, from 2012 to 2016, he made a tremendous effort to deliver better business results, and this attempt brought a business success in 2015, which stands for the best result in the last 30 years ever since the company was founded. Currently, he is a member of the Managing Board of the Serbian Public Utility Companies Business Association – KOMDEL, also an assistant to the director for public utilities at Public Utility Company “Drugi oktobar” and the director of “Angrokom” company from Vrsac.
We talked with Dragan Ninkovic about the removal of dumpsites which are dispersed across the territory of Vrsac municipality, about repairing the rainstorm damage in the City park, increasing the level of recycling and waste sorting as well as about organising the “Recycling day” and activities which are designed to educate the youngest.
EP: By doing your regular work and running special campaigns, the public utility company removes dumpsites which are located on the territory of the Vrsac municipality. Could you tell us what you have accomplished this year?
Dragan Ninkovic: Our regular work consists of many things such are pocket parks’ design, mounting flower baskets on street light pole, maintenance of the access to the city, removal of wild dumps, planting flowers in circular flower beds, landscaping of green spaces and waste transportation from public institutions, complete washing and sweeping of streets, promenades and sidewalks, road verges, canals, transportation of bulky waste, reconstruction of green areas on the Square of St. Sava. Our employees are engaged for cleaning, waste collection, mowing, clearing weeds and redundant vegetation. The campaign such as “April – the month of cleanness” serves well to intensify the works on the restoration of children’s playgrounds and street furniture at public spaces, as well as on removal of dumpsites. This year, just before the Easter holidays, we have cleaned the garbage container areas using the heavy machines. We set about mounting the street furniture at Balkanska street, the one that has been said it never looked better. Also, we have cleaned the huge dumpsite at Pavlis, along with garbage dumps scattered on the way from Veliko Srediste to the city, and even at Mali Rit and Streliste Kamenolom locations. We talk about the protected natural areas, and it is the duty of each one of us to prevent further emersions of dumps which destroy flora and fauna which the Vrsac mountains are famous for. In a joint operation with the Vrsac City administration, on the eve of May Day celebration, we also organised the cleaning up of Vrsac hill from Helvecija to Mountain Lodge. The road verges have been cleaned as well as the paths through woods and the park furnishings have been placed. I would like to point out our great cooperation with many city institutions particularly. Starting from this year, we have been carrying out all the campaigns side by side and with an obligatory citizens’ contribution. The citizens suggest what should be done, but they also have an active role in performing chosen activities.
EP: Recently you have organised “The Recycling Day”. Are you satisfied with its effect and the response you got from citizens and companies?
Dragan Ninkovic: On the occasion of the World Environment Day, the public company “Drugi oktobar” and the “Angrokom” company organised “The Recycling Day”. At the Saint Sava square, there was an “origami” container for glass, and red boxes for collecting glass were placed at the Youth square, Andrija Lukic square, Hemograd and Military square. Citizens who brought three kilograms of glass packaging or more got a prize of a symbolic value which can be used indefinitely and serve as a reminder to them to take care of our planet. At the event we have collected more than two tons of glass which will be processed and recycled by the “Sekopak” company. Glass and aluminium are the only recyclable materials that can be recycled a million times, and from the aspect of the circular economy, they are significant. Previously, we distributed special boxes to all catering establishment in Vrsac for glass packaging disposal, because we want to improve the primary waste collection of this recyclable material.
Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CIRCULAR ECONOMY, September-November 2018
