Sanitation woes: Two years on, Abbottabad’s plant still awaits waste

Project delayed after a private company backtracked from paying its share of Rs3.5m.

ABBOTABAD:

Two years on, the much-acclaimed solid waste recycling plant of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Abbottabad still remains non-operational, lacking road access and electricity. Once operational, the plant is expected to recycle about 40 tons of solid waste daily and produce cheap manure for local farmers.

Mehboob Shah, a sanitation engineer of TMA said that the authority requires Rs3.5 million to make the plant operational, as the access road to the plant needs to be metalled and electricity connection provided to the plant. “Had TMA received the funds on time, the problem of open dumping would have been resolved much earlier,” he added.

Following the growing complaints of environmental pollution and seasonal diseases owing to open dumping of solid waste by the TMA authorities near Salhad village, the doorway of Abbottabad city, the district government had decided to establish a recycling plant on 40 kanals of land besides the existing dumping ground.

The district government spent Rs24 million on the construction of the plant building and installed machinery which would carry out grading and separation of solid waste like tins, glasses and other hard items, while utilising the remaining solid waste for making manure for agriculture use. Sources said that the construction and machinery installation process was completed in 2009.

It was reported that initially a private company, Shell, had promised to contribute its share of about Rs3.5 millions in the recycling plant but when the project was near completion the company backed from its promise, delaying the project further for two years.

When enquired, Shah, TMA’s sanitation engineer said that the provincial government was approached to help complete the project, which agreed to release the required funds in the near future.

Shah explained that about 10 tonnes of solid waste is collected daily from Abbottabad city and its cantonment areas, while about 2 tonnes remains uncollected. He said that over 70 out of total 151 sanitation workers take part in collection of solid waste in the city but still due to lack of civic education the solid waste remains uncollected.

Fiaz Khan, a resident of Malikpura locality, said, “Instead of performing their duties properly, the sanitation workers are seen working at the residences of influential figures of the city. This is why solid waste is seen littered in different areas of the city.” He blamed the civic authorities’ for failing to keep clean the “once beautiful and scenic city”.

Another local, Dr Khalid, attributed the spread of gastro, hepatitis A, typhoid and other water borne disease to the lack of proper collection of solid waste and rusty water supply lines in the city. He stressed the need to raise awareness among the citizens regarding health and hygiene and cleanliness issues.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2011.