Residents at part of Tongatapu’s Hihifo road are demanding action over the area’s key unsealed commuter road, which they say is unsafe for their health and damaging their vehicles.
The residents said they needed to spray water on the road to prevent and reduce the dust problems they were experiencing.
A resident claimed that the contractor left more than a month after removing the road seal.
However, the road has been causing significant problems and disturbances for the community.
The resident complained on Facebook that she couldn’t hang her laundry in the sun due to the dust from the unsealed road.
Commenters agreed with the resident, saying they had experienced the same troubles.
“They (contractors) did the same unfinished works on other roads in Tongatapu”, a commenter wrote.
Another commenter wrote that the “potholes” are annoying and causing significant damage to their vehicles.
Some have suggested that this reflects the underlying “mentality” adopted by road contractors, wherein decisions are made without considering the potentially adverse impacts on the general public.
Effects on human life
Many researchers have reported that exposure to road dust has adverse health effects on the respiratory system.
The World Health Organisation has found that the main health risk is from the very smallest road dust particles, which are less than 10 micrometres in size.
A report by the University of Auckland’s Te Wahanui news source quoted Auckland Councillor Greg Sayers as saying that particles from diesel vehicles, wood-burning fires, and road dust are widespread air pollutants.
“It is only relatively recently that the impact of dust has been taken seriously as a significant health hazard,” it said.
Safety of transport
The complaints in Tonga come after the Ministry of Infrastructure touted its new scientific program conducted in its laboratory and technical assistance from the Australian government to enhance its efforts to ensure public safety on the road.
The Ministry of Infrastructure said: “As always, the main aim is to improve the safety of transport. This also provides real scientific-based solutions to fixing our deteriorating roads and the rapidly increasing traffic and congestion in Tonga”.
Kaniva News understands that the Ministry has been carrying out ongoing road maintenance across Tonga.
One of its most recent maintenance services was conducted in Tongatapu in preparation for the Pacific Forum meeting last month.
The Ministry could not be reached for comment.
