SHC tells KMC, SSWMB to explain failure to remove garbage from city

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday took exception to the non-removal of garbage and failure to clean the city drains in Karachi, and directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) to file their responses with regard to the removal of garbage from different parts of the city.

Hearing a petition against the unattended garbage in the North Karachi area, a division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Khadim Hussain M Sheikh questioned the performance of the local bodies and civic agencies during the recent rain and observed that the entire city had been inundated due to the downpour owing to the authorities’ failure to clean the drains and dispose of garbage.

The high court observed that it was unfortunate that none of the civic agencies had realised the situation of the stranded rainwater in different areas of the city. The bench remarked that several parts of the city had submerged in the rainwater after the monsoon rain due to illegal encroachments and non-removal of garbage from the drains while every institution blamed each other when it came to taking the responsibility.

The SHC observed that people had to face extreme hardships due to the overflow of drains and they remained stranded in the rainwater for hours, and in addition to that their properties and valuables were also destroyed.

The high court also inquired about the lifting and disposing of offal and waste during Eidul Azha. A provincial law officer submitted that funds had been allocated to the relevant authorities and all remains and waste of sacrificial animals would be disposed of.

The SHC directed the KMC and SSWMB to file comments with regard to the removal of garbage and cleaning of drains, and adjourned the hearing till August 13. The high court also took notice on the establishment of an illegal cattle market in District West, and directed the petitioner to file a contempt application against the violators.

The petitioner submitted that the District Municipal Corporation West had allowed a private person to establish a cattle market despite the ban on cattle markets inside the city. A counsel for the DMC submitted that they had asked police and other law enforcement agencies to assist the DMC to remove the illegal cattle market to avoid law and order situation. The high court directed the petitioner’s counsel to file a contempt-of-court application, in case orders of the court had not been complied with, and adjourned the hearing.