KARACHI: There is an urgent need to focus on recycling of solid waste presently being dumped onto streets and drains, eventually making its way into the sea. Waste should be treated as an economic asset for which the society needs to come out of the katchra kundi mindset and learn to segregate waste at homes and institutions as being done in the civilised world. Waste should be collected and picked up from source.

This was stated by Dr Moazzam Ali Khan, a senior professor at the Institute of Environmental Studies (IES), in a seminar organised at Karachi University (KU) on Wednesday.

Titled ‘Environmental Aware­ness and Plantation Drive 2019’, the seminar was organised to create awareness of the city’s environmental issues and the role of masses to make it clean and green.

Giving a presentation on the subject, Prof Khan highlighted the numerous civic challenges Karachi faced and said that 75 per cent of the total solid waste generated from various parts of the city “could be recycled and reused and there is no harm in reusing those recycled items.

“People should learn to segregate their waste by keeping colour-coded bins (for different types of waste) in their homes and institutions and hand it over to vendors engaged in recycling business. Domestic waste must not be mixed with medical waste for which the government needs to devise a system ensuring collection of biological waste from healthcare facilities,” he explained.

He also spoke about the city’s chronic water shortages and said that Karachi’s water requirement in 2015 was over 1,100MGD but it had been getting 650MGD water.

“The city faces multiple issues including increasing air pollution and absence of an efficient sewerage and drainage system. Most of the solid waste the city daily generates, estimated to be 20,000 tonnes, is either left unattended or burnt. These problems affect every one of us and we all need to act as a responsible citizen,” he said.

Citizens should not wait for the government to step in but rather take ownership of their area and take initiative to make their area clean and green, he added.

Sharing similar concerns, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Law, Environment and Coastal Development Barrister Murtaza Wahab, the chief guest, explained how the public was damaging environment and negating government efforts.

“During the recent rains, the staff found it difficult to clear drains and sewerage lines as most of them were filled with piles of plastic bags and solid waste material, choking the whole drainage system.

“Once used, plastic bags are carelessly thrown away which later become a menace for departments and agencies concerned. There is a dire need for awareness in this regard,” he said.

Speaking on the government’s role, he said the state alone couldn’t improve environmental conditions and required public support to successfully run and implement its decisions and campaigns.

“For instance, the ban on polythene bags would be meaningless unless people start reducing use of these bags,” he said, emphasising that people should also support plantation campaigns as plants were the prime source of environmental purification and beautification.

Acting Vice Chancellor of KU Prof Khalid Mahmood Iraqi highlighted how degrading environmental conditions had endangered public health and said environment was everyone’s business and its related issues should attract public attention.

“(Unfortunately) our development and economic growth have also jeopardised natural resources, putting man’s own survival at risk,” he remarked.

He also spoke of the KU’s commitment towards a better environment and said the university had set an example by banning the use of polythene bags on campus.

“The university is also developing linkages in the field of environment and exploring the possibility to install pollution control devices on the campus through consultation and technical guidance,” he told the audience.

Later, the chief guest accompanied by KU VC, the deans and Vice Chancellor of Iqra University Dr Waseem Qazi launched a three-day tree plantation drive on campus.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2019