KARACHI: The teams of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) have buried offal of sacrificial animals weighing more than 29,000 tonnes in the designated landfills up till Tuesday afternoon, the second day of Eidul Azha, a senior official in the board said.

Dr A.D. Sajnani, managing director, SSWMB, said the overall operation was being spearheaded by the executive director of operations, Nisar Soomro, who reported to him that the board’s teams had buried offal weighing 29,257 tonnes in landfill sites.

“We have recorded this figure at 2pm today (Tuesday) on the second day of Eid,” said the SSWMB head. Giving the details, he said some 8,163 tonnes of offal was buried in the trenches of Jam Chakro landfill site; while another 9,907 tonnes of offal was buried in Gond Pas landfill. Besides, most offal, weighing 11,187 tonnes, was buried in trenches dug up in the garbage transfer station at Sharafi Goth.

Officials claimed most of the complaints the board’s public complaint centre received were duly entertained and followed with prompt action.

“We have received a total of 163 such complaints during the two days of Eid as prompt action was taken on 90 per cent of them while the action was under way on the remaining 10pc, though those complaints were not related to the board’s mandate.”

They said the staffers of the board were busy in lifting and disposing of the offal till late in the night.

They added that a total of 51 collection points had been established in the four districts — East, South, Malir and West — where the SSWMB had the mandate vis-à-vis solid waste management.

“Our dumpers, loaders and trucks are being operated in those districts, which were promptly lifting and transporting offal of the sacrificial animals to the landfills,” said a senior official.

Dr Sajnani said the SSWMB actively cooperated with the municipal authorities in Central and Korangi districts in lifting offal from there and burying them in the landfills.

Besides, officials said the teams involved in the overall operations were duly spraying lime powder and related pesticides in the areas were sacrificial animals were slaughtered.

The SSWMB officials said the operation vis-à-vis disposing of offal did not hinder their basic function of lifting garbage from the city.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2019