Sanitation system fails amid tax collection

Despite the citywide imposition of garbage collection taxes, Rawalpindi's sanitation system has collapsed due to absenteeism and poor performance by sanitary workers, leaving residents at the mercy of multiple diseases.

Residents are being charged Rs300 per house, Rs1,000 per shop, and between Rs500 and Rs5,000 for larger residences, while workers reportedly demand an additional Rs150 per household for collection.

As a result, heaps of garbage have accumulated across numerous areas, including Dhok Ilahi Bakhsh (all 11 streets), Arya Mohalla, Naya Mohalla, Dhok Khabbah, Amarpura, Chah Sultan, Thana Waris Khan, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Peer Odhai, Fauji Colony, Dhok Ratta, Mohalla Raja Sultan, and Sir Syed Chowk to Bagh Sardaran on Circular Road.

Sanitary workers reportedly visit these streets only once every two days, and even then, waste from households paying the extra Rs150 is often collected after two to three days, leaving residents frustrated.

Delays in collection have prompted some local women to dispose of waste directly into the streets, exacerbating hygiene problems. The buildup of garbage has contributed to outbreaks of skin rashes, eye infections, tuberculosis, and hepatitis.

Compounding the issue, ongoing construction for new Sui Gas pipelines has left excavated streets unfilled, with waste accumulating in these pits.

Malik Zaheer Awan, Chairman of the Citizens Action Committee (CAC), says the Rawalpindi Solid Waste Management Authority (RSWMA) has repeatedly been informed about overflowing garbage and inadequate sanitation. Despite repeated requests for improvement, no action has been taken.

He warned that if sanitary workers' daily duties in streets and markets are not regularised, residents would stage a protest outside the RSWMA office.

Residents of Dhok Ilahi Bakhsh, Arya Mohalla, and Fazalabad reported that garbage heaps remain in every corner, with only 50–60% of waste collected on scheduled days. Limited vehicle capacity means waste from smaller streets often remains uncollected.

Residents Ayyam Ali, Chaudhry Imran, and Sajid Khan have demanded enforcement of daily collection duties and an end to the extra Rs150 charge per household.

The RSWMA, however, maintains that all collection vehicles are operational and most waste is removed and properly disposed of.

Inner-city Sunday markets, including Mini-Filth depots, are reportedly overfilled, leaving 50% of waste uncollected in Sunday and Friday markets and forcing vendors to relocate stalls to nearby roads.

Officials argue that permanent funding is necessary to sustain the waste management system. Punjab, with a population of 127.68 million, generates 57,500 million tons of waste daily, of which only 18,438 million tons are collected, leaving the rest to cause environmental pollution.

Funds from the tax will be used for garbage disposal, recycling, new machinery, staff salaries, and landfill sites. The government says more than 100,000 people have been provided employment under the program, and modern equipment worth billions has been purchased.

Despite government assurances, citizens have rejected the tax, demanding visible improvements in sanitation before being charged. They argue that poor waste collection, overflowing containers, and unattended garbage dumps continue to cause health hazards in several neighbourhoods.