Another citizen seeks SHC’s intervention to get the city cleaned

This is the third petition of its kind in the last ten days

KARACHI: Another petition was filed in the Sindh High Court on Saturday pertaining to lack of cleanliness and accumulated garbage in the city. This is the third such petition filed in SHC in the past ten days.

The petitioner, advocate Erum Riaz, maintained that the sanitation and cleanliness situation in the city has worsened and has reached alarming levels. The petition has nominated the Sindh government, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akthar, local government secretary and other relevant authorities as respondents while accusing them of not performing their duties and responsibilities. The petitioner also accused the cantonment boards of not carrying out cleaning work. The petitioner prayed the court to direct the relevant authorities to fulfill their responsibilities of cleaning the city.

Earlier, on Tuesday, a two-member bench of SHC comprising Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Mrs Kosar Sultana Hussain, issued notices to the government of Sindh, Karachi mayor and other relevant agencies over a plea filed against flies swarming the city and the non-disposal of garbage, dirt and filth.

The petitioner's counsel maintained that the offal of sacrificial animals was still lying at some places in the city, filling the atmosphere with a foul odour. The flies and mosquitoes were swarming the city due to the garbage left uncollected. He said that citizens were falling prey to diseases such as Congo and Dengue viruses, throat infections and gastro-intestinal diseases.

Government of Sindh, Karachi Mayor, cantonment boards and other relevant authorities should be ordered to take immediate measures and save the people from these miseries, the petitioner prayed to the court. The government should also be directed to launch an awareness campaign about maintaining cleanliness. The situation of the city will get worse if suitable arrangements are not made in time, he added.

The court issued notices to the government of Sindh, Karachi mayor and other relevant agencies and ordered them to submit their replies by the next hearing.

Whereas on August 28, a petition was filed by a citizen, Sameer Samoo, which maintained that the Sindh government, the Karachi mayor and the chairpersons of all six district municipal corporations are not fulfilling their duties, as the city is infested with swarms of flies.

The petitioner stated that flies swarming in the city have made life unbearable and there is an outbreak of diseases in the city because insecticides have not been sprayed. The petition mentions that flies have multiplied on a large scare because the offal of sacrificial animals hasn't been picked up from the city. It maintains that the provincial government, the Karachi mayor and district chairpersons are not making any arrangements for cleaning the city nor are they spraying insecticide. The petitioner prayed the court that orders be passed directing the Sindh government and civil administration to take appropriate measures.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2019.