PAKISTAN has been grappling with the menace of garbage for long, inching its way towards a point of no return. The nation is beset with a garbage crisis. The manner in which trash continues to accumulate on the roads is a growing concern that needs to be addressed. The task is challenging in the face of fast-paced urbanisation.

Assessments have indicated that it would take around five years for big cities in Pakistan to become garbage jungles. The unsightly mess would drag human health to dismal levels. Unless waste is disposed of by the relevant agencies, and people start behaving in a responsible manner, there will be no progress.

Waste management strategies that may factor in the safety, health and environment approach are needed. Policies geared towards raising community awareness, initiating community clean-up drives and incorporating waste management education in schools need to be initiated.

The waste crisis needs a sense of urgency. Cleanliness cannot be achived alone; it takes individual and collective efforts.

Farah Naz
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2024