Garbage heaps mar Sargodha’s beauty
Citizens say local administration not taking the issue seriously
PHOTO: MOHAMMAD SAQIB
SARGODHA:
Often referred to as the ‘City of Eagles’, Sargodha is facing the dilemma of inadequate sanitation and cleanliness. The heaps of garbage strewn about the place speak volumes of the efficiency of the departments concerned.
Despite the tall claims of cleanliness by authorities concerned, almost every locality of the city is in pathetic shape, causing great difficulties for the citizens, besides posing health hazards.
The conditions are deteriorating with each passing day as the district administration seems unable to ensure cleanliness for a city of more than 1.5 million people.
The administration is also hampered by the lack of necessary equipment and this can be gauged from the fact that authorities are only able to lift a small fraction of the several tonnes of waste daily produced daily.
The situation has raised several question marks on the priorities of the government.
Incinerator installed in Sargodha
The prevailing conditions not only pose a threat to the atmosphere and ecological system of the city, but also trigger an outbreak of different diseases in the areas.
Although major roads apparently seem to be in better shape, most of the localities are in deplorable condition. In each and every corner of different areas, especially open spaces, locals find heaps of garbage and waste.
When Express News visited different areas, it found that sanitary workers were burning the garbage instead of disposing it at designated dumping sites.
When contacted, sanitary workers told Express News that 35 garbage dumping sites, set up across the city, had been removed. “The residents and shopkeepers do not allow dumping garbage at these sites anymore, therefore we have no other option but to burn the garbage,” they added.
The sanitary workers complained that it has become difficult for them to collect garbage and transport it to dumping sites due to the lack of proper machinery or pushcarts.
Meanwhile, local residents say it is unfortunate that the district administration is not taking the issue of insanitary conditions seriously.
They said only cosmetic measures were being taken by agencies concerned. As a result, only the cleaning of main city roads was being carried out, while the rest of the streets were ignored altogether.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2018.
Often referred to as the ‘City of Eagles’, Sargodha is facing the dilemma of inadequate sanitation and cleanliness. The heaps of garbage strewn about the place speak volumes of the efficiency of the departments concerned.
Despite the tall claims of cleanliness by authorities concerned, almost every locality of the city is in pathetic shape, causing great difficulties for the citizens, besides posing health hazards.
The conditions are deteriorating with each passing day as the district administration seems unable to ensure cleanliness for a city of more than 1.5 million people.
The administration is also hampered by the lack of necessary equipment and this can be gauged from the fact that authorities are only able to lift a small fraction of the several tonnes of waste daily produced daily.
The situation has raised several question marks on the priorities of the government.
Incinerator installed in Sargodha
The prevailing conditions not only pose a threat to the atmosphere and ecological system of the city, but also trigger an outbreak of different diseases in the areas.
Although major roads apparently seem to be in better shape, most of the localities are in deplorable condition. In each and every corner of different areas, especially open spaces, locals find heaps of garbage and waste.
When Express News visited different areas, it found that sanitary workers were burning the garbage instead of disposing it at designated dumping sites.
When contacted, sanitary workers told Express News that 35 garbage dumping sites, set up across the city, had been removed. “The residents and shopkeepers do not allow dumping garbage at these sites anymore, therefore we have no other option but to burn the garbage,” they added.
The sanitary workers complained that it has become difficult for them to collect garbage and transport it to dumping sites due to the lack of proper machinery or pushcarts.
Meanwhile, local residents say it is unfortunate that the district administration is not taking the issue of insanitary conditions seriously.
They said only cosmetic measures were being taken by agencies concerned. As a result, only the cleaning of main city roads was being carried out, while the rest of the streets were ignored altogether.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2018.