Balkan river, once known for its natural beauty, becomes 'trash zone'

A river flowing through Balkan became a colossus gliding pile of garbage due to harsh weather, followed by prolonged mismanagement. Once known for its natural beauty, now the river looks like it has a sheet of waste over it.

The Drina river in Bosnia-Herzegovina flows through woodlands and mountains. But now, there is a heap of waste at the back, filled with uncountable plastic bottles, rusty barrels, used tires, and household appliances.

The waste, dumped in poorly regulated riverside landfills, has accumulated behind the fencing that flows downwards. The water from the river flows across three countries in the Balkans.

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Local environmental activists complain that the barrier installed by the Bosnian hydroelectric plant, a few miles away from its dam, has turned into a trash zone.

Over the past few weeks, the area experienced obscenely hot weather and heavy showers that caused several water routes in Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro to flood.

Drina river has a length of 346 kilometres. It starts from northwestern Montenegro and goes through Serbia and Bosnia. It has tributaries which are emerald in colour and stunning views.

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Environmentalists believe that cleansing cannot solve the entire issue with the Drina river. On average, it will take up to six months to clean the river. Furthermore, the local landfill in Visegrad cannot handle the waste.

The Balkans is way behind Europe in terms of economy and environmental protection. The country sought EU membership in the last decade and witnessed some development as it built environmentally sound and efficient waste disposal systems.

Unauthorised waste dumps dot the region's hills and valleys, while trash litters the roads and plastic bags cover the trees. Aside from river pollution, many Western Balkan countries face other environmental challenges. One of the most pressing issues is the extremely high level of air pollution that affects several cities.

(With inputs from agencies)

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