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ISLAMABAD: The city managers are considering setting up the capital’s first ever landfill site in Mandra instead of Sangjani following objections from locals.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had planned the landfill site in Sangjani but during a public hearing conducted by Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) last month, people living in the adjoining areas, including B-17, raised objections and requested the agency to relocate the site to protect them from its hazardous impact.
Following the hearing, Pak-EPA conveyed the objections of the residents to CDA’s Sanitation Directorate and sought a reply.
Sources in the authority said there were slim chances that the CDA would have satisfied the environment agency about the objections.
“We have yet to submit our reply to Pak-EPA but as a second option we are exploring options to set up the landfill site near Mandra in Rawalpindi,” Sanitation Director Sardar Khan Zimri told Dawn.
Option under consideration after locals object to Sangjani project, official says
The capital, which generates over 600 tonnes of waste every day, has been without a permanent landfill site, leaving them no option but to dump the garbage in the underdeveloped I-12 sector where the CDA has already allotted thousands of plots and would begin development in the next few months.
In 2004, on the recommendation of an international consultant following Pak-EPA’s approval, the civic body had selected Kuri for the landfill site. However, in 2012, the CDA board, while citing environmental objections, decided to move the proposed site from Kuri.
According to CDA officials, the landfill site was moved from Kuri to appease operators of housing schemes who had invested in the area.
The auditor general of Pakistan, in a report in 2017, had stated that the delay in execution of CDA’s Rs1 billion landfill project had deprived Islamabad of its much needed landfill site.
Mr Zimri said the CDA would submit its reply to Pak-EPA soon, adding that the authority was also mulling over setting up a landfill site in Mandra for which land would have to be purchased from the Punjab government.
“We are serious about the project and will take a decision soon. Our focus will be to satisfy the environment agency on Sangjani otherwise we will go for Mandra,” he added.