Following the recent monsoon spell, heaps of garbage have cropped up in different parts of the country. These filthy sights are not new to cities like Lahore and Karachi, which have long struggled with waste management. Karachiites complained about the failure of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWB) to collect garbage and dispose of it regularly. Even though SSWB officials claimed to have removed at least 9,000 tonnes of waste from municipal areas, residents of most localities say they have never seen SSWB workers visit their localities to remove garbage. Resultantly, residents are on their own and most have resorted to hiring private sanitation workers to get rid of garbage piles.
The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has also drawn significant criticism from residents for failing to remove garbage. Last year, at least 7,000 spots across Lahore were accumulated with garbage, which compelled LWMC to purchase more containers and vehicles. Consequently, Karachi and Lahore have both ranked among the ten most polluted cities in the world with other Pakistani cities edging closer to the list. Lahore’s worsening smog situation in winters can be partly attributed to the rising pollution in the city. Garbage piles in residential areas have raised the risks of disease spread and caused a constant stench.
Despite allocating billions of rupees and collaborating with foreign companies, both large cities and small towns are inundated with garbage piles. The provincial government’s disregard for citizens’ complaints coupled with the absence of regulatory checks and mismanagement have allowed these organisations to get away with their malpractices. With the growing threat of climate change, provincial authorities must work with the municipal administration to tackle solid waste management issues. Citizens must also realise their responsibility and dispose of garbage in designated areas to avoid creating landfill sites in residential areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2022.
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