CHAKWAL, Feb 4: The Teshil Municipal Administration (TMA) Chakwal has failed to find a proper landfill site to dispose of solid waste. At present, all the waste generated here is being dumped in the heart of the city.

Heaps of solid waste can be found at and around the city’s most congested squares and roads like Pinwal Road, Railway Road, 15 Chowk, Jhelum Road and many other streets. Sarkari Ban at Pinwal Road has been turned into a “garbage dump” by the TMA. The residents of Christian Colony and adjacent areas near Sarkari Ban are living under the foul smell emanated by the heaps of solid waste. The residents of Pinwal Road and Christian Colony said they were living amidst dirt and their life had become miserable due to the foul smell.

A few months back, the TMA had taken a landfill site near Pinwal village on rent, but soon after it had to abandon the site due to strong protests by the villagers.

“We don’t have any other alternative place where we can dump the solid waste,” said TMO Abid Hussain Malik.

“We are running short of sanitary staff as the present number is not enough to clean the whole city.” He also said the civic body lacked proper infrastructure. However, he added, the TMA would soon strike a contract with the National University of Science and Technology which would help it establish a landfill site on scientific grounds. “A deal is also under process with a cement factory which is interested in purchasing the solid waste to use it as a fuel,” he maintained.—A Correspondent