Days after Eid

Swarms of flies during the day and hordes of mosquitoes at night in due to uncleared entrails of animals sacrificed

There are swarms of flies during the day and hordes of mosquitoes at night in Karachi due to uncleared entrails of animals sacrificed during Eidul Azha, even though it has been more than a week since the end of the Festival of Sacrifice. The ground reality in the city is awful despite the tall claims of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board about quick disposal of offal. Except for posh areas where movers and shakers reside, the whole city has been invaded by flies and mosquitoes, posing serious health risks to people. Offal piled up on garbage dumps have proved a good breeding ground for highly harmful insects and germs. Residents in several areas complain that KMC staff made a guest appearance only on the first day of Eid, and left after doing a ridiculously poor job.

The piles of uncleared offal and garbage are giving out an unbearable stench making life miserable for people. Already common fever, typhoid, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, malaria, and respiratory diseases have broken out in many localities. The outbreak of dengue is feared due to the presence of mosquitoes. The situation will likely deteriorate if there are rains given the monsoon season and a continuous overcast sky. Shopkeepers are finding it difficult to carry on business due to the presence of flocks of flies and mosquitoes. These insects are irksome for both traders and customers. There is an urgent need for the lifting of garbage and animal entrails. Once again the coronavirus has staged a comeback in the city, and if dengue breaks out things would become very difficult to manage. There is also the need for spraying the city with insecticide and germicide to protect the health of people.

The city administrator too has not been seen in public at least after Eid. Carrying out cleanliness work in selected areas and leaving the rest of the city in insanitary conditions would only cancel out the benefits of selective cleaning.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2021.

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