Environmental pollution has increased to alarming level in the federal capital as there has been mushroom growth of informal dump sites in the city for several years.
In a survey conducted by this agency citizens said that cutting off trees, improper garbage disposal, bad sewerage system, constructions of roads are the main factors, causing environmental pollution.
The residents opined that there was no proper system of solid waste treatment and uncovered drains run through the city, emitting bad odour and also overflow during rains. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has identified 75 places where people throw their garbage, but there are countless other such informal dumps in the city.
Multiple development projects, the widening of roads and construction of underpasses are carried out at the cost of trees, which result in the concentration of harmful gases in the air.
A citizen, Naveed told APP that more roads and more driving lanes may help alleviate the traffic problems in the capital city but this will only add pollution problems. An effective air management plan necessitates the introduction of an environment-friendly public transport system to reduce the number of cars on the road, which will reduce air pollution from direct car emissions and fugitive dust emission from cars travelling on unpaved and paved roads.
According to CDA spokesman Ramzan CDA planted more than 1.5 million trees in the city during last two years. The CDA is also planning and doing serious efforts to eliminate the pollution from the city by laying better sewerage system and taking other necessary steps, he added.
Citizens have said the concerned authorities should evolve a strategy for the protection of trees, land and water ponds. Urban plantation and proper system of sewerage, is the need of the hour to check the degradation of environment, they said.