KARACHI, Feb 21: Environmental pollution is on the increase and diseases are spreading due to the dumping of 8,000 tonnes of garbage and waste at the landfill site in Jam Chakro, Surjani Town, without any precaution.

This was stated by the Chief Minister's Adviser on Environment and Alternative Energy, Faisal Malik, on Saturday after a visit to the area.

During his visit, he noted that more than 100 trucks were dumping garbage on a road in violation of relevant environmental laws and blamed the practice on vested interests involving district officials.

Drivers transporting the garbage said that the local administration did not allow them to offload the garbage into the place meant for it. They also alleged that an amount of Rs50-80 per truck was being extorted from them in the name of the city government tax.

The adviser issued directive for checking the environmental pollution, spread of diseases.-PPI