Seaview sewage

Seaview beach has become a dumping place for trash and sewage, which can cause the spread of water-borne diseases

The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has been directed by the Sindh High Court to find out whether raw untreated sewage is being released into the sea. This is no mystery as a short visit to Karachi’s Seaview beach can provide the answer — with the most famous open nullah present near the McDonald’s area. Sepa may have to ascertain how much is being released per day, a figure that is expected to be grossly underestimated to protect the credibility of concerned institutions responsible for such negligence.

What was once a popular tourist attraction and great hang-out spot for local residents at times when the mercury shoots up has now become a dumping place for trash and sewage. It has now become a severe health crisis and can cause the rapid spread of water-borne diseases. Marine life too has been severely affected by it. The major reason for this is that the 15-million-strong city produces a plethora of garbage and solid waste but does not have efficient systems in place to safely treat them. It must be realised that the deteriorating condition of Seaview beach is just a consequence of a far greater problem that needs to be tackled systematically.

Simple and thoughtful efforts can help turn this situation that is affecting thousands of living beings into something that is useful for us. First and foremost, a proper management system needs to be laid out for the city to ascertain how sewage and waste is to be treated and disposed of. This should also clearly indicate that mandates of each department and the implementation framework have seen finger-pointing from everyone. Next, infrastructure must be developed and filtration plants set up so that clean water can be extracted from sewage, which can then be used for agricultural or domestic purposes. Third, periodical cleaning campaigns must be initiated throughout the city, including at Seaview, to ensure cleanliness.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2023.

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