WB devises solid waste emergency efficiency programme

The World Bank, in consultation with the Local Government, the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Solid Waste Management Board, has devised a comprehensive Solid Waste Emergency Efficiency Program (SWEEP) for the year 2020-24 costing $100 million for integrated solid waste management for the metropolis.

The main objective is to move towards integrated solid waste management and improving the efficiency of the local government, suggested the concept paper of the project.

Considering the monsoon 2019 situation in Karachi, Sindh government requested the World Bank to assist it in improving integrated solid waste management (ISWM) in Karachi for the year 2020.

According to the paper, a mini PC-I shall be developed for the cleaning of drains and for dumping of the desilted waste at the landfill site.

Consultants would be hired through CLICK which is another program of World Bank.

A strong communication plan shall be worked out to influence or change the behavior of the people. Besides a transaction advisor shall be hired to diligently execute the projects of GlS and LFS.

From the operational point of view, the cleaning of drains shall be executed by the KMC or DMCs concerned while the construction of the temporary cell shall be the sole responsibility of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, stated the official documents.

For the mid-term and long-term plan, SWEEP would be focusing on infrastructure development including construction of two garbage transfer stations, construction of two landfill sites, construction of new dumping points and rehabilitating the existing ones.

The feasibility studies of the project include waste characterization and union council-wise municipal produce studies, training and capacity building of officials associated with solid waste management.

The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board has also suggested execution of the Dhabeji landfill site through World Bank's retroactive financing.

According to the concept paper, the project would add to the efficiency of the local government as well as the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board in general and will enhance the capacity of the human resources through its soft component such as training and courses.

Documents indicated that it will be a step towards integrated solid waste management and will categorically address the environmental issues by installing incinerator plant to deal with medical and industrial waste.