GEORGE TOWN: They came, they partied, and they littered.

       After four days of merrymaking last weekend, popular tourist spots in the city resembled dumping grounds, courtesy of inconsiderate holidaymakers.

       While the garbage collection on the three-day break around Awal Muharam on Aug 8 was 1,591 tonnes, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had to work harder last weekend as the collection from Nov 1 to 7 stood at 5,256 tonnes, in part contributed by the relatively long holidays during Deepavali last Thursday.

       MBPP Urban Services Department director Xavier Sebastian said the increase was due to the influx of people into the island during the festive period.

       “We noticed that there was a garbage overflow at popular spots in Karpal Singh Drive, Gurney Drive, Teluk Bayu, the Esplanade, Batu Feringghi, near Queensbay Mall, and under the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge, a popular picnic spot,” he said.

       Sebastian said most of the garbage left behind were mainly plastic food containers, water bottles, and newspapers.

       “We anticipated this problem and had added more garbage bins in those areas and increased the collection frequency, such as twice daily,” he said.

       MBPP also extended its operating hours and used “pickers” three times a day from 7am to 5pm, and at night from 8pm during public holidays.

       “Besides holding education and awareness programmes, we will not hesitate to issue compound notices to litterbugs,” he said.

       Sebastian added that MBPP has used social media to instil awareness among the public about littering, and at the same time hoped that everyone will cooperate by disposing rubbish into the proper bins.

       “We hope that everyone, be it Penangites or visitors, would cooperate with us to keep the city clean, especially during the upcoming Christmas and New Year festive period,” he said.