Managing Director, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), Roshan Ali Shaikh, has said that new Garbage Transportation Sites (GTS) will be functional soon after which a door-to-door garbage collection campaign will be launched in the city.
He said that new landfill sites, garbage transportation sites, collection and road sweeping projects were under consideration, besides the Board was working on waste-to-energy (WtE) projects. "Keeping in view Karachi's potential to produce 200 to 300MW electricity from its waste, 13 companies are interested in investing in such projects," he added.
Speaking to the members of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), he said that 3,000 acres of land had been acquired for landfill projects. Shaikh said that dumping of garbage at Malir River area near Korangi Causeway was illegal according to the decision of the higher courts, which had been communicated to the related DMCs several times.
He said that SSWMB had been formed after consultations a year before but the Board had not yet any powers. Shaikh briefed the executive committee of Kati on waste related issues of the city and upcoming projects of SSWMB. He told the meeting that more than 20 agencies were responsible for municipal services in the city, however, there was no co-ordination among them. "We are working on a centralised and well-coordinated system," he added.
Shaikh said that SSWMB had conducted many multi-stakeholder consultations to revamp the current system. He said that opportunities were being created for investment in energy, biogas and waste management projects. He regretted that nobody was ready to take ownership and responsibility of the industrial waste. He further said that an amendment had been suggested to increase the representation of industrialists in the board.
Speaking on the occasion, the Patron-in-Chief of Kati said that due to the failure of garbage management system, the industrial sector was suffering a lot, besides it was posing great risks to the health of the citizens. He urged the government to take effective steps towards resolving the issue, as the business community was ready to play its role. President Kati, Zahid Saeed, said that in case of any unusual rains, dumping of garbage and debris at Malir River might result in the loss of life and property.
He urged the provincial government and local management to resolve their differences and implement an effective campaign to clean the city. Senior Vice-President, Kati, Saleem Uzzaman, Vice-President, Syed Wajid Hussain, Chairmen of Standing committees, Zubair Chaya, Gulzar Feroze, Masood Naqi, Farhan ur Rehman, Abddussami Khan, Akbar Farooqui, Syed Farrukh Mazhar, Nadeem Khan, Tariq Malik, Umer Rehan and others also attended the meeting.
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