Why solid waste in residential areas of Karachi becoming the growing concerns for the residents

Karachi city – landfills, stack of trash, overflowing sewers, unpleasant stench, and unhealthy environment are all consequences due to the improper management of the solid waste by the local municipality. Eventually, the residents bear the negative impacts and fall victims of the diseases.

Landfills and solid waste management is a grave concern for the residents in Karachi – the most densely populated city in Pakistan with more than 20 million people. According to a solid waste management study by Geist Science, Karachi, alone, on daily basis, produces 12,000 tons of solid waste. Quite a big number, isn’t it? One more striking fact here is, forty percent of this daily solid waste in Karachi, ends up on the city streets.

Moreover, the solid waste, eventually ending just outside the residential places, is a huge issue, which is often discussed in the media; however, no strict measures have taken so far by the local government. The landfills right outside the residential areas not only harming the environment, but also causing the residents various health and aesthetic issues.

Waste landfill in the middle of the residential street in Karachi; Picture by Ali Zain Hussain

According to a report published in The Nation, the government officials and local authorities have failed miserably to maintain the high standards of cleanliness in the city. This is causing great discomfort to the citizens. The local waste management department of the city is not carrying out the proper measures to tackle down the issue. The garbage ending up at the street landfills and the residential area, is impacting the health of the residents.

Asif, a sweeper at my society, said “the municipality has provided these big red-colored bins, situated right outside each society’s gate, where we dump all the garbage collected. However, there is no proper space allotted. The municipality’s collection trucks are scheduled to empty all the bins every morning, yet they are not mindful of their responsibilities and duties.

Trash bins placed outside society's gate; Picture by Ali Zain Hussain

In addition, excessive mosquitoes and flies, malaria, diarrhea, Jaundice, hepatitis and allergies are some of the growing health concerns largely due to the dumping of solid wastes on the streets. The area counselor says, “they have had complained and filed several applications to the municipality department, requesting them to clear the landfills in the area. However, they do not provide as such positive response or bother to take note on the issue.

Also, while talking about the solid waste landfills and bins in the residential areas of the city, we cannot ignore the aesthetic image of the areas. Many residents and I feel that these landfills and bins placed outside the societies, is ruining the aesthetic beauty. One of my society’s committee members said that they want to live in place where they would find a better aesthetic sense of living, to feel the energy and calm in the air. Whereas, in Karachi, wherever we go, the land pollution has ruined all the sense of relaxing and green environment. Lately, the municipality has ruined the remaining levels of cleanliness by placing these red trash bins, right outside each society’s gate.

Furthermore, considering the municipality at fault, one of the reasons for lack of attention from their end is, the lack of adequate resources required to tackle down the issue in city. According to the report published in the Dawn, the overall yearly budget of the city for solid waste management is not more than seven percent. One of the examples could be the lack of waste collection trucks. The city government does not have adequate number of trucks to disburse on the planned routes on time to collect the garbage and empty the landfills. We can clearly make sense here that the city government’s capacity is no more than giving the false hopes to the citizens and claiming that they are working on to solve the issue.

Waste management trucks collecting garbage; picture by The Nation

Considering the city’s waste management, health, and aesthetic issues, there is a dire need of federal government’s and citizens’ involvement. Waste management programme should be there in place so that the residents could be aware of possible ways to help the city management and reduce the amount of waste they produce. Whereas, the proper industrial management should be in place by the government so that the tons of waste that ends up on the city streets, should be transferred to proper dumping or recycling stations and be managed properly.

Well importantly, residents of Karachi must play a mindful role and be educated about how they manage and reduce the amount solid waste.

Solid wate on the streets of Karachi; Picture by Ali Zain Hussain

_______________

Sources

Dawn. (2010). Unsafe disposal of waste poses threat to public health. Dawn.com.

Javaid, A. (2019). Solid Waste Management in Pakistan. Daily Times.

M. Shahid, Y. N. (2014). Environmental impact of municipal solid waste in Karachi city. World applied sciences journal.

Reporter, S. (2017). Garbage causing diseases in Karachi: PTI. The Nation .

SN, C. (2017). Solid Waste Pollution: A Hazard to Environment. Bhopal: Juniper Publishers.