‘Trashing’ the city’s garbage

KARACHI: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) claims to have found an Rs873 million solution to the city’s garbage problem - the first-ever garbage transfer station.

The station is being constructed on ten acres of land near Malir creek and the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) garbage station and will collect trash from Landhi, Korangi, Muhammad Ali Society, KDA scheme, PECHS, Mahmoodabad and other adjoining areas.

EDO municipal services Masood Alam along with DO solid waste management Najib Ahmed, during their visit of the garbage transfer station site on Thursday, told the media that the station is being constructed on the site that has been cleared of cattle farms built by the ‘land mafia’.

It is expected that in less than a year, this project will be completed and made usable. The officials said in the briefing that this would be the first international-standard garbage transfer station of its kind in the city.

To put a stop to the putrid smell from the garbage, the station will be sealed with tin sheets and arrangements will be made to get rid of the trash scientifically.

Drainage

The EDO municipal services, while surveying the area, said expressed satisfaction at the cleanliness work of rainstorm drains in Korangi and Landhi before the monsoons.

He said, “A city that used to be severely affected by 20 millimetres (mm) of rainfall earlier did not receive any complaints after 45 mm of rainfall on Wednesday.”

Five hundred volunteers for the city government were there to ensure that rainwater does not accumulate on any street.

City administrator Lala Fazlur Rehman said that when a complaint is received of accumulated water in any town of Karachi, the government will begin an inquiry against the town administrator. He directed all the concerned departments of the city government and administration to stay open 24 hours so that timely help could be given to residents.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2010.