IMC lifts 50 tonnes of trash from picnic spots during holidays

Urges visitors to show civility, throw garbage in bins

ISLAMABAD: The Sanitation Directorate of Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation of (IMC) has lifted tonnes of garbage from the various recreational spots of the federal capital strewn thrown by thousands of visitors who thronged the city during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

The IMC’s special teams, constituted in the aftermath of massive littering in the capital city, have collected over 50 tonnes of trash from parks, grounds and other tourist destinations which have witnessed huge influx of tourists during the Eid days, a senior official of Sanitation Wing on Monday.

He said huge quantity of garbage had been removed from Lake View Park, Faisal Mosque, Daman-e-Koh and Shakarparian during clean-up drive launched on the of Eid-ul-Fitr and culminated yesterday(Sunday), he added.

To a query, the official said the IMC was planning to launch an awareness campaign to inculcate the civic responsibility regarding cleanliness among the citizens next week. The drive would also be initiated on social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter.

Islamabad Capital Territory  Administration (ICTA) informed that as many as one million tourists visited or stayed in Islamabad during Eid vacations. Besides, Assistant Commissioners, Magistrates, Police and Traffic Police, the administration had also deployed tourist guides on the occasion, it added.

According to Safe City Project officials, around 0.4 million of vehicles entered the city during the Eid holidays.

Shahid Sra, a government employee, who visited Lake View Park on Eid with his family said the visitors did not bother to use the waste bins installed by the civic agency.

They did enjoy throwing garbage in public places anywhere with impunity, he added.

Shahid appealed to the authorities concerned to take stern measures to discourage such a bad practice that gave the capital unkempt look.

Meanwhile, a campaign was triggered on the social media regretting the approach of visitors who caused havoc to the federal capital by throwing trash in grounds, parks, green belts and roads.

A picture shared on the twitter showed that the wrappers and disposable food containers were strewn along the main entrance ground of Faisal Mosque.

The picture was retweeted by several twitter users with strong message of imparting civic responsibility among the people to avoid the recreational places from the nuisance of littering.

Another picture depicting cleansing drive of ‘Green Squad’ at Baruti spot near the capital also received applause from social media users for cleaning the tourist spots voluntarily.

Picnickers rush

Speaking about rush of picnickers, over 111,000 vehicles entered Murree during Eid holidays which ended on Sunday. City traffic police said that due to effective strategy made by CTP, no untoward incident was reported and heavy traffic load was regulated in a better way.

Over 13,500 tourists were provided help and assistance by CTP and district police officials and several children were also reunited with their families, the CTP spokesman said.

He informed that as many as 2,200 phone calls were responded to by traffic police helpline and nearly 12,000 awareness pamphlets were distributed among the tourists.

City Police Officer and Chief Traffic Officer, Rawalpindi also visited Murree and reviewed the situation and issued on the spot directives for all out efforts to avoid traffic mess and facilitate the tourists.

Meanwhile, the CTP spokesman informed that the entry of motorcyclists involving in one-wheeling and other stunts was banned in the hill station.

He said, all out efforts were made to control the traffic flow at the hill station and facilitate the commuters and the visitors.

He said that a command and control room was set up for guidance of the road users in case of any emergency.

Special traffic plan was formulated for Eid ul Fitr Holidays and over 800 district police officials besides five DSPs of CTP, 405 Traffic Wardens and Assistant Traffic Wardens were deployed.

Going forward, CTP was implementing a special summer traffic plan devised for the tourist resort. He said Murree is the most attractive resort for tourists and all out efforts were being made to resolve the traffic problems.

He said, a comprehensive plan had been devised to facilitate tourists according to which entry of heavy vehicles had been banned in Murree during day time. Murree Mall Road, GPO Chowk, Kashmir Point, View Fouth, Bank Road, Hall Road and Imtiaz Shaheed Road were closed from 8 am to 12 pm for Hi-Ace vans, coasters, water tankers and other loading vehicles.

One way traffic was being allowed from Guldana Road to GPO, Bank Road to Kashmir Point, Hall Road, Kashmir Point, Bagh Shahidan, Cecil Road, Dilkusha Road and View Fourth Road towards GPO roads. The summer traffic plan would be implemented till Sept 15, he added.

He further said that all possible facilities were being provided to tourists, adding that traffic wardens under the supervision of inspectors had been deployed at all important points of the city. He said several points had also been reserved for car parking while double parking on the city roads would strictly be banned.  

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2019.