Govt urged to implement environmental laws

Environmental experts and representatives of civil society have said that urban environmental sustainability is being ignored therefore environmental laws are needed to be implemented to make cleaner and greener urban environment.

These views were expressed in the environmental celebration called "Jashan-e-Maholiat" or celebration of the environment held at Mehran Arts Council Hyderabad. The event organied by the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) comprised of two panel discussions and art exhibitions related to environmental issues.

On this occasion, environmental experts said that poor waste management badly affects human and environmental health as well as contributes to urban disasters.

They demanded that legislation need to be implemented in Hyderabad.

SCF Head Javed Hussain expressed that poor planning leads to a huge burden on the economy and infrastructure due to climate change-related incidents.

Najeeb Rahman Jamali Additional Deputy Commissioner Hyderabad, said that environmental issues in urban settings are very serious and it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders, policymakers and citizens to come forward to join hands to cope with the issues of waste management and urban sustainability.

Read: Capital launches study for better waste disposal

Nasir Pawahwar remarked that ill-treatment of waste is spreading the diseases and causing human health problems.

Sameer Mandhro, an environmental journalist viewed that the government's response related to environmental management, solid waste, and climate change needs to be sped up by embedding policies and planning.

Agro-expert Dr Ismaeel Kumbhar said that the green roof idea can be a better strategy to address climate change issues in urban areas. Safar Koari said that Hyderabad generates 1131 tons of waste on a per-day basis while the collection is only 80 per cent, and the sub-urban population is ignored, such facility of waste collection should be expanded in these areas. Representatives of SSWMB said that they were trying best to clean the city but need support from the community groups.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2023.