ISLAMABAD: As the Sindh government urgently needs to mitigate the impact of flooding, the World Bank has designed the Karachi Solid Waste Emergency and Efficiency Project (SWEEP) with a proposed allocation of $100 million. The scheme is expected to be approved next month.

In view of widespread flooding and public health crisis after the rainy season last year and subsequent deterioration of solid waste management network this year, the bank approved the use of emergency procedures to prepare and implement the solid waste project (SWEEP).

The proposed project will finance interventions that will be implemented in two phases. In the immediate emergency response phase, activities will aim to mitigate high flooding risks caused by accumulation of solid waste in the city’s drainage system after the rains that have battered the city over the past two months.

The medium-to-long-term phase envisages improvement in the solid waste management infrastructure and service delivery to address the underlying risk factors leading to recurring urban flooding.

According to estimates, Karachi generates 12,000 to 16,000 tonnes of solid waste every day. Around 60 percent of this waste is collected and transported to two large insanitary dumps — Jam Chakro and Gond Pass.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2020