Rawalpindi:
The city’s management and waste management system is under intensifying scrutiny, with accusations that the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), responsible for transporting waste from urban ‘dirt deposits’ to the main site of the main discharges, are plagued by significant operational deficiencies.
Bad load practices mean that waste accumulates in trucks without adequate coverage, which makes highly contaminated wastewater with bad smells that are filtered on the main roads, including Murree Road, Rawal Road, Chowk Committee, Katchery Chowk, Rashid Minhas Road and the routes towards Sawan. Spilled garbage along these routes has also become a common view.
Between 8 am and 10 am every day, during peak and university hours, overload trucks depart from temporary waste deposits, such as the Chowk Sunday Bazaar committee, Liaquat Bagh near the RWMC headquarters, and others, extending the stench and dirt throughout the city. Many of these vehicles also filter oil or diesel, creating dangerous slippery patches that have led to frequent accidents.
On Wednesday, around 9 am, one of those trucks loaded with garbage, diesel drops and toxic wastewater, caused four motorcyclists to slide and crash. Two of the motorcycles wore female passengers. The four cyclists suffered serious injuries, with one, Iftikharuddin, suffering severe leg trauma. Passersby provided first aid and organized their transport to the hospital.
Malik Zaheer Awan, president of the Citizen Action Committee (CAC), says that repeated complaints have been presented with RWMC about these vehicles, claiming that the water is deliberately poured over the waste in the deposits to increase the load weight of the trucks, inflate the performance records and the payment claims. He warned this contaminated water, raises serious risks to public health, contributing to cough, colds, hepatitis, tuberculosis, eye infections and skin diseases.
Awan adds that when such trucks stop at traffic signs, their stench wraps entire joints. While motorists can wind their windows, pedestrians and motorcyclists remain completely exposed.
In addition, he points out that these vehicles travel up to 100 kilometers a day from Rawalpindi deposits to the central site of spills, continuously dripping toxic liquid along the way.
The growing public frustration has led to strong protests. The president of the District Coordination Committee, the MNA engineer, Qamarul Islam, told reporters that all complaints would be addressed and that funds would be available to improve the system where necessary.
He promised to finish the transport of wet waste and implement a standard operational procedure to guarantee adequate elimination in the central landfill.
According to an RWMC spokesman, all its Dumpers are in operation, and any isolated complaint would be addressed.
However, merchants along Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh Chowk and Talian Shahan and the toxic water escape of these trucks are routine.
Residents say that temporary deposits in Liaquat Bagh and the Chowk Sunday Bazaar committee have made life unbearable for nearby communities. Despite three years of protests, they claim that no measures have been taken, and officials simply listen to complaints and then remain silent.
