Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said over 282,000 tons or around 70 percent garbage backlog has been taken away while the remaining 30 percent will be cleared by October 21. The CM stated this on Sunday while talking to the media at KDA Roundabout, North Nazimabad during his visit of the city.
The chief minister was accompanied by Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani, Adviser to CM Murtaza Wahab, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani, Secretary Local Government Roshan Shaikh, DG SSWMA Asif Ikram, and DG Water Board Asadullah Khan.
Murad Shah said three DMCs South, East and Malir have assigned their garbage lifting work to Sindh Solid Waste Management Authority (SSWMA) from where the deputy commissioners in their on-going month-long campaign have lifted 72,000 tons of garbage. During the said period, the DCs have lifted 109,000 tons of garbage from the areas of the DMCs Korangi, Central and West, where SSWMA was not working. "This shows that the garbage backlog position is comparatively better in the areas/DMCs where SSWMA is engaged," he said.
The chief minister said the purpose of launching month-long garbage lifting drive was to clear the areas and handover them to concerned DMCs for maintaining onward. "I have held meeting with Mayor Waseem Akhtar and also with chairmen DMCs so that every one must give ownership to the drive," he said and added the city belonged to every one living here; therefore, it becomes the responsibility of each and every one of us to own this city and keep it neat and clean. "The Mayor, the DMCs and district council chairmen are onboard and right now the Chairman DMC Central, Rehan Hashmi is standing with me, this shows our commitment with each other and with the city and its people," he said.
Shah told that on Saturday he had held a 6-hour long meeting with all DCs chairmen DMcs and SSWMA DG. "I am quite happy that the chairmen DMCs certified the garbage lifting figures given to them by deputy commissioners," he said and added that he was happy that the people were on board."
The CM thanked the DMCs chairmen for attending his meeting on Saturday and said on Tuesday the DMCs would be released funds to keep their tractors, refuse vehicles and other machinery repaired and start lifting their garbage on day-to-day basis.
The chief minister appreciated KW&SB performance and aid during his 9-hour long visit of different areas and roads, no gutter was overflowing. He appreciated water board and urged its MD to improve the capacity of the old areas sewerage system.
Murad Shah said he has directed SSWMA DG to keep in touch with all DMCs chairmen on regular basis and work with them and for them. Once in a month the SSWMA DG would also meet with Union Council Chairmen so that necessary cleanliness work could be done on their pointation.
Shah told that out of 282,000 tons of garbage lifted from different areas of the city, has been dumped at temporary GTS from the SSWMA has lifted more than 18,000 tons and dumped the same at Landfill Site and the reaming garbage would also be shifted to Landfill Site.
Giving rejoinder to media and his other detractors, Murad Ali Shah said they have reported on the media that the cleanliness drive has failed. "Your this attitude has hurt me, I always take you [media] with me to show you what is happening on the ground but even then instead of appreciating me you are terming the drive as failed," he said and added his political opponents have no option but to criticize him because they were being criticized by their constituents in keeping the city clean, he said and added that was why they were terming his work as failed.
He said the people who were not his party workers showered rose petals and presented him 'ajraks' and garlands just to appreciate his effort to clear the garbage backlog. "I am sure you [media] will not show that appreciation on your TV screen but you will on air the visuals of the garbage which is yet to be lifted," he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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