Pindiites in grip of foul smell, diseases due to garbage transfer station

Rawalpindi

Bad smell and diseases have gripped people of the city during Ramazan thanks to apathy of the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) and Albayrak for continuously dumping garbage near Liaquat Bagh transfer station.

The authorities concerned are not only spoiling the environment of the city but also playing with the lives of innocent public.

The residents will face worst situation in upcoming monsoon season but concerned authorities not taking this issue seriously.

Garbage transfer station near Liaquat Bagh setup by Albayrak working under Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) is turning into a permanent environmental issue and a headache for the residents of Rawalpindi, especially those living around the vicinity including Liaquat Bagh, China Market, Gawalmandi, Arya Mohallah, Moti Mahal, Mareer Chowk, Tipu Road, Raja Bazaar, Chamanzar and several other localities, because of the foul smell emanating from it round the clock. It is not only creating problems for the residents, but also affecting users of Murree Road, Mareer Hassan Road, Kutchery Road and GT Road, as garbage is shifted through these roads from evening till late night.

Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director Raja Shaukat said that this garbage dumping site is a permanent problem for them. “We are facing bad smell whole days in this regard. No doubt, Punjab government was working efficiently to increase the beauty of this city. They are increasing the number of parks as Rawalpindi having total 46 parks in different localities. But, this dumping site in heart of city is continuously spoiling the beauty of the city.

Similarly, Liaquat Bagh also wears a deserted look due to foul smell all around. Majority of nature loving visitors are not visiting Liaquat Bagh because of poor environment.

The acting managing director (RWMC) Rizwan Sherdil in his statement promised to lift garbage from every nook and corner of the city to create healthy environment all around. But, he never did anything to remove garbage transfer station from Liaquat Bagh.

The bad news is that there was no plan to remove transfer station to another place as Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) is running without a chairman and without permanent managing director for more than six months.

The garbage transfer station is not only damaging the environment but also depriving the women of the areas to visit the park because this site was earlier used to be a Ladies Park. The park was constructed in 2005 on two acres of land adjacent to the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) offices and in front of the Rawalpindi Press Club. But Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed, who was the Metro Bus Project incharge and the Commissioner Rawalpindi in 2014, allowed one of the contractors of the mega project to use the park for dumping the construction materials.

The contractor had promised that he would reconstruct the park after completion of the Metro Bus Project. However, after the completion of the project, the contractor did not fulfil the promise. And strangely, the space was turned into a Garbage Transfer Station with the permission of former district coordination officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Dall.

Several government departments included RDA, TMA, Rawalpindi Sports Complex, WASA, Gordon College, Rescue 15 and Rawalpindi Press Club suffering due to bad smell of garbage coming from transfer station near Liaquat Bagh.

The students of National College of Arts (NCA) near Liaquat Bagh have strongly protested against establishment of dumping site in heart of city. They have threatened to block Benazir Bhutto Road if higher authorities not taken this issue seriously.

Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Director General Malik Abid said the issue had been taken up with the local administration but they have not paid any attention to address it. “The purpose of the land reserved for the park would not be changed,” he said. He also said that foul smell also spoiling the beauty of Liaquat Bagh. He appealed to the higher authorities to immediately remove transfer station to another place.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/211223-Pindiites-in-grip-of-foul-smell-diseases-due-to-garbage-transfer-station