New Karachi admin picked 50 tons of waste

Polluters warned dumping garbage, industrial waste will be dealt with strictly.

KARACHI: The New Karachi administration has picked up around 50 tons of domestic garbage and industrial waste, said the New Karachi Town administrator, Kamal Ahmed, on Wednesday.

He has issued a warning to polluters, saying that people who dump garbage or industrial waste will be dealt with strictly.

The five industrial zones under the New Karachi municipal town administration have taken initiatives to control environmental pollution, but not all the units have been following the directives.

The Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001, has a section on the violation of pollution laws, but it has not stopped violators since the fine is only Rs500. The fine is regarded a small amount so they pay it and mock the authority, said Ahmed.

“The waste can be a threat to people’s lives and also cause skin diseases,” said Ahmed, adding that, it also leads to other problems, including the blocking and overflowing of sewerage. “The administration is looking for new ways to control the pollution problem, including a special court to work against polluters,” said Ahmed. He requested the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency to visit towns, especially those with industrial zones, and help his administration enforce the anti-pollution drive.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2010.