KARACHI: Delays hit garbage collection by Chinese firm
By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
KARACHI, March 25: The long-awaited process of door-to-door collection of the city’s solid waste has been delayed for about two months as the Chinese company which signed an agreement with the city government two months back will begin its operation initially in six towns on June 1.
On Jan 11, a final agreement was signed between the city government and the Chinese firm, Shanghai Shen Gong Environmental Protection Company Limited, through which the former gave the responsibility of collection of the city’s garbage and its disposal to designated landfill sites to the latter for 20 years for which it would be paid $20 per ton by the city government.
Well-placed sources in the city government told Dawn that the Chinese company was supposed to launch its operation on April 1 but due to “technical reasons” the implementation of the project had been delayed for two more months.
City government officials, however, claimed that the delay was on part of the Chinese firm and not on the city government’s part. They maintained that the delay was mainly due to the reason that the city government wanted to ensure that the Chinese firm bring along its promised investment of around $230 million.
The sources said that the city government, in compliance with the relevant clauses of the agreement, had already identified eight sites for the construction of garbage transfer stations and offices and it had provided the Chinese firm the layout plans, etc.
“They (Chinese representatives) are busy finalising technical details as they have already visited five of the eight sites,” said the city government’s district officer for solid waste, Khalid Javed. “They will start constructing garbage transfer stations initially on four locations and their operation will begin on June 1.”
He said that according to the agreement the company would have to bring its own vehicles for lifting and disposal of garbage. “They may start working by using city government’s vehicles from April 1, but we asked them to bring their own vehicles for starting their operation,” said Mr Javed, who is also the chief of the integrated municipal solid waste and hospital hazardous waste management project.
The sources said that the Chinese firm would submit its technical plan, after its finalisation, to the city government for its approval.
The services of thousands of sanitary workers of the city government and towns will also be transferred to the Chinese firm before it launches a proper operation as under the agreement the Chinese firm will be responsible for their salaries and other benefits.
“If all goes well, the Chinese company will start its operation on June 1 in six towns – Saddar, Jamshed, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Liaquatabad, Gulberg and North Nazimabad,” Mr Javed said.
He said the Chinese representatives had already been provided security cover and the delay had nothing to do with the security issue.
The sources said that the delay of two months would also provide the city government with an opportunity to start collecting a new tax, initially in the six towns, under public utility charges from each residential, commercial and industrial unit.
The City Council has already approved the new public utility charges amid protest from the opposition benches.
The sources said the Chinese firm would take at least six more months to start its operation in all the 18 towns of the metropolis.
According to the agreement, the Chinese firm is responsible for door-to-door collection of solid waste in all residential and industrial areas of the city and its disposal on designated landfill sites. The city government would pay $20 per ton to the company for lifting and disposal of garbage. However, the city government would get 15 per cent of the total income to be generated by the company through recycling of the waste.
