The current Azadi March that has descended upon the city has led to countless traffic jams, noise pollution, littering
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad, like other major cities of the country, is in grip of pollution, much of which can be attributed to the industrial area in the city. The most problematic in the I-9 and I-10 industrial areas are the steel mills and marble factories. The high flames from the foundries of steel mills create havoc with the city’s environment. They burn anything and everything for fuel and the clouds of thick black smoke can be seen from miles away. This causes pulmonary problems among residents of the area in specific and the entire city in general. Similarly, the marble factories cause noise and air pollution. The huge cutting-machines create noise at unbearable levels. The dust from small cutters and the grime composed of water and marble dust goes straight to the water channels and the drains.
To add to the misery of the residents of Islamabad, the city has been the centre of attention in terms of protests against any government. The new trend of protesting through sit-ins is making life all the more unbearable. The current Azadi March that has descended upon the city has led to countless traffic jams, noise pollution, and littering. The march participants eat, sleep, and defecate in the area that is not meant for the purpose. Heaps of garbage and defecation in open spaces would create unsanitary conditions and would expose the area to the risk of various diseases, which is a disaster for the twin cities, already struggling to cope with the defiant menace of dengue fever.
The administration of the city along with the federal government must take emergency measures to clean up the site of the Azadi March during and after it.
Raja Shafaatullah
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2019.
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