KARACHI, Jan 14: The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has postponed a public hearing scheduled for Thursday on a much-needed solid waste management project for an indefinite period on the request of the city government.

Sources in Sepa told Dawn that the decision to postpone the public hearing on the environmental impact assessment report of the integrated municipal solid waste management project was taken on the request of the city government which had informed the agency that it was not ready for the public hearing. However, the city government did not suggest any new date for the purpose.

About 15 months back, a Chinese firm, which had been awarded the solid waste management’s contract, had submitted the EIA report on the project. The public hearing was aimed at examining the EIA report of the proposed project.

Municipal Services EDO Masood Alam told Dawn that he requested Sepa to postpone the public hearing in view of the fact that the Chinese firm had failed to achieve some of the milestones during the last one year.

He said at least the firm could have initiated the project. The firm did not bring here the required financial investment, vehicles and machinery estimated at $400 million from China. Referring to the submission of the EIA report, the EDO said that it was nothing but an attempt to buy some more time. Therefore, the city government wanted to postpone the public hearing for some time, he added.