Senate panel tells CDA, IMC to curb littering

Asks civic bodies to improve management of Faisal Mosque

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Monday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) to take stringent action against littering in the federal capital.

It also directed the civic body to devise a comprehensive strategy to ensure Faisal Mosque's management in a better manner, said a statement issued by the Senate Secretariat on Monday.

The committee with Senator Sitara Ayaz in the chair took up Senator Faisal Javed's query pertaining to the administrative control of Faisal Mosque. It specifically asked to focus on pollution issues due to littering by the tourists and directed CDA and IMC to chalk out a proper mechanism to preserve the iconic spot.

The chair on behalf of the committee also recommended working out a plan to control littering in the federal capital. Senator Sitara Ayaz also directed CDA Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed to brief the committee on the solid waste management system and slums in the federal capital.

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The chair expressed displeasure over the absence of the Adviser to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul and Islamabad Mayor Ansar Aziz in the meeting. She said: "It seems that plastic bags are the main concern of the government.

We have raised the issue of solid waste management and disposal of household and industrial waste with special focus to hospital waste in the federal capital from this forum." The committee wants to convey its recommendations and findings to the prime minister through the ministers and they should have ensured their presence.

CDA Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed, while briefing the committee, said solid waste management was the major responsibility of IMC. "We have identified two sites for the landfill, one at Sangjani and the other near Mandra, and initiated the environment impact assessment (EIA) of the project," he added. Additionally, the CDA had proposed five transfer sites to MCI for garbage segregation under the landfill site project to help improve the decomposition process, he said.

"Three liquid waste treatment plants in the rural areas of the Federal Capital are also being proposed to reduce the water pollution," he added. He said there were eight slum areas (Katchi Abadis) in the Federal Capital, however, the relocation of these slums was not an administrative issue, rather a matter of social reform.

"We have prepared a plan, maps and designs for the establishment of relocation site of slums at sectors I-9, G-7 and Alipur Farash which is a complete unit with all amenities," he said. It would be implemented under the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme, he added. He said: "There is the potential of developing 1,500 housing units in Sector I-9, at least 1,400 units in Sector G-7 and around 3,000 units in Alipur Farash sites."

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"The model is basically a ground plus three structures construction to accommodate the people residing in the slum areas," he added. The CDA chairman told the committee that it was not CDA's job to manage the maintenance of all public buildings and recreational sites within the limited available budget as the responsibility lay with the Public Works Department (PWD).

Initially, the federal capital had a population of 250,000 which at present had expanded to a huge size, the financial budget provided for maintenance of buildings was miniscule, he added. "A separate budget should be issued for managing Faisal Mosque's affairs and a competent authority should be assigned its possession.

Faisal Mosque is Pakistan's identity and a potential tourist spot which should be managed in a better way to protect its grandeur," he added. IMC Director Sanitation Sardar Khan Zimir said there was a need to revise the fine as per law on littering to increase the cognizance about open garbage dumping at public places and roads.

"At present, IMC staff fines Rs1000 to Rs2,000 on any person found dumping waste or littering other than the designated places which should be at least Rs5,000," he added.

CDA releases Rs5m to develop Sangjiani landfill

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director General Farzana Altaf Shah said there should be a government level decision to control littering and open garbage disposal as shopkeepers and market vendors across the federal capital's business centres and markets were dumping heaps of garbage after closing their shops.

He said: "There should be a single time of 8pm for all shopkeepers to shut their shops and dump their garbage at the designated places.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2019.