20000216

DMCs to ensure

garbage dumping

at landfill sites

KARACHI: The District Municipal Corporations (DMCs) in Karachi will issue cards to drivers of garbage carriers lifting city garbage dumps to landfill sites.

These cards will carry the driver's name, date, departure time and vehicle number.

On arrival at landfill site, a KMC official posted there will mention the arrival time of vehicle and counter-sign the card.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Municipal Commissioner, Iqbal Ahmed Zubaidi.

The meeting was told that this procedure has been devised to ensure the transfer of garbage from city to a landfill site.

The decision was taken following complaints that certain drivers were dumping the lifted garbage in some other part of the city instead of carrying it to a landfill site and put the same on fire which causes environmental problems.

Such a practice negated the achievement of the desired objective on one hand whereas the employees claimed full overtime and diesel so 'consumed' on the other.

The meeting was informed that during the cleanliness campaign by municipal corporations, the KMC staff will remain present at the landfill site even during night hours. The drivers will be provided all required facilities.

On the occasion Iqbal Zubaidi directed that work of under-construction roads at Gond-pass landfill site be completed at the earliest and lighting arrangements made there.

He directed DMCs to inscribe their garbage carrier with respective District-wise numbers to facilitate their entries at landfill sites.

It was informed that tenders are being invited from different parties for recycling of garbage brought at the KMC's landfill site. In this regard only one bid for Rs 50,000 was received for the Gond-pass landfill site garbage.

It was observed that if ban is imposed on scavengers, this might bring in more parties for participation in this business to pick the reusable garbage from one place. This would also help the KMC in increased financial earnings.

The Municipal Commissioner asked the Director Solid Waste Management to examine this proposal in detail and submit a report to him.ÑAPP