Ghani accuses Zaidi of worsening garbage situation in city

Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani has accused Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Haider Zaidi of worsening the situation of garbage in the city.

Ghani blamed Zaidi for the out-of-control garbage situation in Karachi after the heavy rainfall while speaking to The News on Sunday.

The information minister said mosquitos and flies had become a curse for the people of Karachi. He, however, added that the Sindh government was helpless in this regard as the federal maritime minister had been fishing garbage out of storm water drains and dumping it on grounds and streets.

Ghani maintained that whenever he raised objection to the mode of work of the federal government-backed ‘Let’s Clean Karachi’ campaign, Zaidi became annoyed and held him responsible for the issue of garbage in Karachi.

The provincial minister said the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board and the District Municipal Corporations could lift 12,500 tons of garbage daily but Zaidi had been creating hurdles in the collection of solid waste.

Ghani said he feared that the garbage being dumped on the streets under the cleanliness drive of the federal government would have become heavy after the recent rainfalls and it would take time to dry off before it could be lifted with the help of dumpers.

According to the provincial minister, it was now very difficult for the local bodies and the municipal authorities to clean garbage from the roads during Muharram.

Garbage dumping decried

Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Law and Environment Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Sunday came up with what he called ‘video evidence’ to prove that the federal government-backed ‘Let’s Clean Karachi’ campaign had in fact exacerbated the situation of unattended solid waste in the city, adds our correspondent.

He said that solid waste being collected under the campaign was not being properly disposed of as it was being dumped near the seaside.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Wahab said he had identified two public spots in Karachi, which were being used as a dumping ground for garbage being lifted under the Centre-backed cleanliness drive in the city.

He said the two locations were the Sea View China Port and the area in front of the United States Consulate in Karachi, adding that garbage being fished out of storm water drains under Let’s Clean Karachi drive was being dumped there, causing pollution and an alarming rise in the number of mosquitos and flies.

“For God’s sake, stop this injustice and oppression against the people of Karachi. Donations are being collected for conducting the cleanliness drive but still sanitation is almost non-existent in the city,” said Wahab.

He said if the federal government genuinely cared for the people of Karachi, it should have better used its own funds for the purpose of the cleanliness campaign and money should not have been extorted from the citizens for the same cause.

“Stop your negative politics and better start helping out the provincial and local governments in disposing of municipal waste and de-silting of storm water drains in the city,” he said.

The law adviser added that no service to the people of Karachi was being done with the municipal waste being openly dumped near the seaside as it was in fact an excess being committed against the citizens.