Garbage dumping fine comes under fire

20,000 tons of garbage is generated in Karachi every day, 50 per cent of which is not collected

KARACHI:

The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) and the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) have started a joint action against vendors and citizens who throw garbage on the road instead of dumping it at designated places in Karachi.

According to officials from the SSWMB, during the campaign launched in November 2023, notices were issued to the owners of 12 shops located at the Boat Basin and Burns Road Food Street, while four shopkeepers were fined a penalty of Rs25,000.

“So far, the campaign has been implemented in the South District. However, the KMC has not yet deployed inspectors on a regular basis in other districts, therefore the campaign has not yet been started in other districts of Karachi. After the appointment of KMC inspectors in other districts, action will be initiated against those who throw garbage on the roads in these areas as well,” revealed Director of Operations at the SSWMB, Tariq Nizamani.

On the contrary, urban planning experts and environmental activists opined that merely imposing fines on some shopkeepers and citizens will not resolve the problem, which requires the relevant institutions to improve their performance and create awareness among the citizens.

Environmental activist and writer, Mehmood Alam Khalid felt that curbing garbage dumping on roads cannot be achieved by merely imposing fines on shopkeepers and citizens. “For this, there is a need to improve the efficiency of the concerned institutions and create awareness among the public. At least 20,000 tons of garbage are generated in Karachi every day, almost half of which is not collected. Some of the garbage picked up is also dumped inside the city on the way,” said Khalid.

“It is true that dumping garbage in front of houses and shops is a crime. But the question is, are there designated places for dumping garbage everywhere? And do the relevant institutions pick up the waste collected in each area or not? If garbage is not removed from every place and from every area, then before taking any action, the concerned institutions should first fulfill their responsibility and make arrangements for the removal of garbage,” commented Zahid Farooq, an urban planner associated with the Urban Resource Center.

On the other hand, Farhan Anwar, renowned urban planner and Assistant Professor at the Habib University, believed that there was a need to create awareness among the locals and institutions on the economic importance of waste disposal. “They should be told that the waste generated in Karachi is not just garbage, it should be considered as an important economic resource. In this context, the relevant institutions should also make policies and create awareness among the public. Many employment opportunities can be created through this waste,” said Anwar.

Concurring with Anwar, Nizamani conceded to the Express Tribune that no campaign could truly succeed without public cooperation and awareness. “Alongside our own efforts, waste collection companies have also been made responsible to take steps to create awareness among the public. We will also start an awareness campaign across the schools of the city, so that awareness can be created among children as well,” said Nizamani.