Can Karachi Overcome Its Garbage Crisis?
News Desk
Karachi: Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has stated that approximately 10,000 to 12,000 tons of garbage are collected daily from the city and transported to landfill sites. He noted that when he assumed office, several areas were littered with waste, but millions of tons have since been removed, significantly improving the city’s cleanliness.
He made these remarks on Friday at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Head Office during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Karachi Fish Harbor Authority and the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB).
The MoU was signed by SSWMB Managing Director Tariq Nizamani and Karachi Fish Harbor Authority Managing Director Zahid Khemtio. Under this agreement, SSWMB will now be responsible for waste collection from the Fisheries Harbor area, which Mayor Wahab described as a positive step toward improved sanitation in the locality.
The signing ceremony was attended by SSWMB Executive Director of Operations Ghulam Abbas Memon, Director of Engineering Fish Harbor Authority Shanid Ahmed, Director of Coordination Ikhlaq Yousafzai, and other officials.
Mayor Wahab explained that the agreement, initially for one year, may be extended. Under its terms, SSWMB will collect waste daily from a five-kilometer radius of the fish harbor. However, the removal of waste from the water and its transportation to collection points will remain the responsibility of the Fish Harbor Authority.
He assured that Karachi would see further improvements in sanitation in the coming days and pledged full cooperation with the Karachi Fish Harbor Authority. Previously, the Fish Harbor Authority was solely responsible for waste collection in the area.
The mayor also directed SSWMB officials to ensure cleanliness across all districts of Karachi and maintain daily waste collection. He emphasized that garbage removal efforts extend beyond the city’s main roads and central areas to suburban localities as well.
Expressing optimism about Karachi’s continued development, he reiterated that collaborative efforts would lead to the successful completion of ongoing projects within their stipulated timelines.
