PESHAWAR, Jan 29: The Rs150m proposed solid waste management project, with the capacity of disposing of 300 tons waste daily, appears to be inadequate to cater the waste management requirements of the provincial metropolis, according to a survey.

The official sources said, Peshawar generates some 400 tons of solid waste daily and the ratio is likely to increase to 800 tons daily in 2005, hence the proposed project, said the sources, was insufficient to address the present day needs of the provincial capital.

Solid waste is the principal source of pollution of the city, causes environmental degradation. Currently, only Peshawar city produces over 400 tons of solid waste daily and the sanitation staff collected only 60 per cent, and 40 per cent solid waste remains uncollected.

To mitigate the solid waste problem, the City Municipal and Development Department (CMDD) in collaboration with a Lahore-based firm will install compost plant and the agreement to this affect is likely to be signed in mid-February. The estimated cost of the project (excluding the land price) is Rs150m to be funded by the private party. The district government will allocate 150 kanal land on Wring Road to install the plant.

Roughly, Peshawar city generates 400 tons of solid waste per day. The district government spends 20 to 40 per cent of its total budget every year. But despite wastage of financial and human resources the issue could not be resolved and municipal waste is still dumped on agriculture land and abandoned sites in and outside the city.