Sunday market turns into garbage dump

Post-Eid waste piles reportedly reach 50 feet high; business dwindles after 46 years

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) has reportedly designated a one-to-two-acre section of the Sunday Market at Committee Chowk, one of the city's most densely populated and busiest commercial areas, as a temporary filth depot.

Over the past three days, municipal waste from across Rawalpindi has allegedly been transported and dumped at the site, resulting in massive accumulations of refuse estimated by local residents to be between 40 and 50 feet high.

The area has been completely cordoned off by the Suthra Punjab Company using green mesh fencing around the perimeter. As a consequence, the historic Sunday Market, which has operated regularly for the past 46 years, is reportedly unable to function today (Sunday) for the first time in its history.

The designated site traditionally accommodates hundreds of stalls selling vegetables, fruits and other essential food items. However, traders claim that the area is now occupied by towering heaps of garbage and waste.

Vendors have been compelled to relocate their stalls to Dhoke Khabba Road, a move expected to cause severe traffic congestion and disruption throughout the surrounding locality.

According to reports, the Suthra Punjab Company has also established an operational office at the site, staffed by sanitary inspectors and male and female sanitation workers. Heavy trucks and loaders are said to be transporting and depositing waste collected from various parts of the city on a continuous basis.

Expressing alarm over the potential health and environmental consequences of the temporary dumping ground, locals say hotels, marriage halls and commercial establishments are situated within 30 to 40 feet of the waste site, while densely populated residential neighbourhoods lie only 25 to 30 feet away. Residents complain that an intense and persistent foul odour has spread throughout the area.

Business owners have reported a significant decline in customer activity. Managers of nearby wedding halls claim that guests attending marriage ceremonies have left due to the unpleasant smell, while hotel operators fear substantial financial losses as a result of the deteriorating environment.

According to locals Sharif Qureshi, Sheikh Nadeem and Waris Shah, they had initially been informed the site would serve only as a temporary collection point for animal remains during Eidul Azha and would operate for three days.

However, they allege that by the morning following Eid, dozens of trucks had deposited large quantities of municipal waste at the location, creating enormous mounds of refuse.

Residents further claim that recent rainfall has intensified the stench emanating from the site, making daily life increasingly difficult. They report a rise in complaints relating to coughing, throat irritation, skin allergies and other health concerns.

The residents have warned that if authorities fail to relocate the dumping site, they will stage protests outside the company's local office.

Responding to the concerns, an RWMC/Suthra Punjab Company sanitation inspector responsible for the site said the facility is a temporary waste dumping ground established for operational requirements during the Eid period.

He added that the company intends to implement a daily waste-clearance programme and maintain the site on a regular basis.