ISLAMABAD, July 22: The Capital Development Authority (CDA), in collaboration with the Japan International Corporation Agency, will launch a comprehensive Solid Waste Management Project in the federal capital at an estimated cost of Rs1.083 billion, a senior official of the authority told Dawn on Monday.

The official said a revised PC-I of the project was sent to the Economic Affairs Division and the interior ministry on July 21 for approval.

“As the Japanese government is showing keen interest in funding the project, it should be approved as soon as possible,” the official said.

He said the previous PC-I was prepared in 1996 at a cost of Rs800 million, but due to increase in the total cost, the PC-I had been revised.

Under the revised PC-I, the CDA will spend Rs99.683 million, while the Japanese grant to be utilized in the project is Rs907.683 million. However, the annual recurring expenditure after completion of the project is Rs76.490 million, of which Rs18.718 million will be spent on operation and maintenance of the project and Rs57.772 million on the salaries of staff that will be engaged for the project.

The project is in line with the environment upgradation policy of the government as spelled out in the eighth five year plan and National Conservation Strategy.

The main objectives of the project are to improve the capital’s solid waste collection and disposal system, improve environmental conditions in the city by replacing old and ineffective fleet of collection vehicles and by constructing a proper, modern and scientific sanitary landfill site for pollution-free disposal of solid waste at Zone IV in Islamabad.

Under the project, small garbage trolleys in the densely populated areas will be replaced by large containers to dispose of solid waste quickly, scientifically and cost-effectively.

The official said the master plan of Islamabad had also recommended the methods of sanitary landfill site for solid waste disposal, but so far no such site had been developed in the capital.

At present, solid waste is dumped in the open without any treatment in H-12 sector along Kashmir Highway. This dumping site is hazardous to the environment and can cause an outbreak of an epidemic.

For the new project, more machinery is required including three bulldozers, three hydraulic excavators, three wheel loaders, one motor grader, 10 dumping trucks, two landfill compactors, new mobile workshop, five water tankers, 20 detachable container trucks, one truck scale, one washing pit and 100 containers.

An official in the CDA’s sanitation directorate said Japan had agreed to finance the project by providing the required monetary assistance to the authority in 1996, but the assistance was stopped due to the overall economic sanctions imposed on the country after nuclear detonations.

He said some new garbage-lifting vehicles would be included in the existing fleet of such vehicles. Similarly, a plant would also be installed at the site of the garbage disposal.

The CDA has also approved a PC-I of Rs9 million for the construction of a building on the dumping site.

“The total daily production of garbage in Islamabad is 700 tons, but due to an improper dumping site, only 500 tons of garbage is disposed of by the CDA,” a source told Dawn.

The remaining 200 tons waste remains in the residential localities, which gives rise to foul smell and diseases, the source added.

Of the total daily production of garbage, the quantity of hospital and hazardous waste in Islamabad is stated to be 10 tons per day, he added.

Residents of different localities of Islamabad like G-9, I- 9, I-10, I-11 and G-8 expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the CDA’s sanitation directorate.