SSWMB claims clearing all offal collection points across Karachi

The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) on Saturday claimed to have cleared all the makeshift collection points throughout the city of sacrificial animal entrails. They said that the collection points have been cleaned, sprinkled with limestone and sprayed with antiseptic.

A statement issued by the SSWMB said that they lifted 81,345 tonnes of offal during Eidul Azha and transported it to the landfill sites where the board had dug trenches for burying the waste.

The largest amount of animal entrails was lifted from District West, followed by the Central and South districts. Sindh government spokesman Barrister Murtaza Wahab and SSWMB Managing Director Zubair Channa had visited different collection points of the board on Friday.

Between Wednesday and Friday, 1,907 complaints had been received, 90 per cent of which were addressed and resolved. Until 4pm on Friday, around 60,600 tonnes of offal and garbage had been transported to the landfill sites.

Animal entrails were safely dumped in the trenches dug at the two landfill sites. The offal was buried in the trenches safely, while the operation of lifting animal waste continued until late night.

Wahab and Channa had visited the Central and East districts’ various collection points and monitored the cleaning operation. Channa had directed the board’s officials to ensure that all the collection points were cleaned, sprinkled with limestone and sprayed with antiseptic by Friday night.

Trenches had been dug up at the landfill sites of Jam Chakro and Gond Pass, while other trenches were also dug up at the Sharafi garbage transfer station (GTS).

From District Central, 17,909 tonnes of offal was transported to the trenches, from District East, 17,125 tonnes, from District West, 20,077 tonnes, from District South, 17,558 tonnes, from District Korangi, 2,894 tonnes and from District Malir, 5,782 tonnes. Sprinkling the trenches with limestone and spraying them with antiseptic was carried out simultaneously.

Eighty offal collection points had been set up across the city. Dumpers, loaders and other trucks removed animal waste from these points to the landfill sites and the GTS.

A decision had been taken during a meeting at the Karachi commissioner’s office before the Eid that Collection points to lift offal would be established at union council level in all the seven districts of the city with the consultation of the deputy commissioners concerned.

Commissioner Navid Ahmed Shaikh had reviewed arrangements for clearing the remains of sacrificial animals during the Eidul Azha festival.

The commissioner had been briefed about the contingency plans prepared by the departments concerned with regard to the removal and shifting of offal of sacrificial animals to the landfill sites, and the subsequent clean-up and spraying.

The officials of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) had briefed the commissioner about the plan for the lifting and disposal of offal. Animal entrails, according to the SSWMB, will be disposed of at the Jam Chakro and Gond Pass landfill sites.

It was also decided in the meeting that the SSWMB, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the district municipal corporations (DMCs) and the cantonment boards will work for the lifting and disposing of offal, and the clean-up in coordination with the relevant departments under the supervision of the deputy commissioners.

The meeting also reviewed the steps to be taken for the implementation of the guidelines issued by the Sindh government for the collection of hides of sacrificial animals. The meeting decided that only those who have obtained written permission or a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the commissioner or the relevant deputy commissioner will be allowed to collect hides. All of them will have to follow the guidelines in accordance with the permission or the NOC.

The meeting also reviewed the efforts being made by the deputy commissioners for the implementation of the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the city. It was decided that all businesses will follow the SOPs strictly. The commissioner asked the deputy commissioners to effectively implement the SOPs in view of the expected fourth wave of the virus, as advised by the National Command & Operation Centre. The commissioner asked the deputy commissioners to ensure that the SOPs are strictly complied with.