In a surprise move, the committee of the Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) has declared the dumping of waste of the entire Islamabad district at the Losar landfill site in the Rawat area of the Rawalpindi district as a step in the right direction despite strong verbal and written protests by the citizens.
The development came less than two months after during a public hearing, held by the EPD, about the proposed acquisition of additional 600 kanals of land by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for a new waste dumping site in Losar, but the residents did not only categorically refuse to give their land for the purpose but also demanded removal of the existing garbage dumping ground in light of the court orders.
However, much to the dismay of the citizens, the committee not only termed the establishment of a new dumping ground on an area of 1,200 kanals a right decision but also said dumping the garbage of an entire district, including hospital waste, building material and all kinds of junk, would not cause any harm to the population of 150,000 living in the vicinity.
The committee was also of the view that doing so would not pose any health hazards or a possible disease outbreak in the nearby population, dismissing all the objections raised by the locals and the lawyers during the public hearing.
Locals reject report On the other hand, the public hearing report met with extreme anger and discontent by the locals who while rejecting it outright, challenged it in the Environmental Protection Tribunal of the EPD.
The preliminary hearing of the appeal will be held by the tribunal after summer vacations, on September 3.
Notices have been issued to the Rawalpindi EPD, Public Hearing Committee and the applicants in this regard.
In light of the report, the total land area of the landfill site of the twin districts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad at Losar will be increased to 1,800 kanals.
Talking to The Express Tribune, the locals said there was already a dumping ground on an area of 600 kanals in Rawalpindi district.
“After the issuance of the report, garbage from all over Islamabad district has started being thrown here again,” they lamented and added that the action committee of the local population announced to hold protest demonstrations to stop dumping of the capital’s garbage in Losar.
‘Unjust findings’ Meanwhile, action committee members Fayaz Gilani, Muhammad Javed, Salim Kayani, and Zafar Mehmood said: “After our protest last month, the High Court ordered a public hearing but the public hearing committee has unjustly declared that there is no harm in dumping garbage on 1,800 kanals of land and there will be no danger to human lives.” They went on to allege that while more than 300 victims participated in the public hearing and not a single one supported the decision.
“Even the committee members also admitted to everyone that the dumping ground causes harmful effects, but in their report, they declared the decision to establish the dumping ground as correct,” they claimed.
Delving into the details of the torment the residents of the entire neighbourhood were facing due to the dumping of garbage at Losar, the locals said: “This entire area is full of flies, poisonous insects and dengue mosquitoes.
The stagnant rainwater in the garbage is full of dengue mosquito larvae and there is a pungent smell everywhere.” ‘Won’t give in to pressure’ The members of the action committee said they would not sell their lands for the establishment of a dumping ground for Islamabad.
“If the Rawalpindi commissioner wants to acquire our lands by force, we will strongly resist,” they said.
“Cancer, tuberculosis, stomach, nose and eye diseases have spread in the area due to the landfill site of Rawalpindi, which is spread over 600 kanals, and the underground water has become toxic and harmful to health,” they added.
“Every other person here is suffering from these diseases.
No one can sleep here at night because of the strong stench.
Islamabad is a very big district, it has a lot of vacant land of its own; the dumping ground of one district cannot be built in another district.” They suggested that the landfill site for dumping of the capital’s waste should be established in its vicinity.
“Our lands should not be used for this purpose.” They vowed to hold protest demonstrations in front of the offices of the commissioner and deputy commissioners and block the passage of all garbagecarrying vehicles besides fighting the legal battle over the issue.
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