ISLAMABAD, Sept 21: Some of Islamabad's poor cousins living in rural areas may see their garbage removed for the first time in 50 years. Dawn

An official source told on Wednesday that the Islamabad administration was “all set” to extend the basic municipal service to six union councils (UCs) where an estimated 87,000 people live in 17,500 houses.

But that would be serving only half of the rural population as there exist 12 UCs in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

Though the Solid Waste Management project for UCs Koral, Sihala, Barakahu, Rawat, Phulgran and Tarlai, had been in the works for a year, the funds have now arrived to launch it “soon”.

It is being funded by the Public Sector Development Programme - Rs10.281 million for purchasing equipment and machinery and Rs12.463 million as the running cost.

“There is no facility to collect the garbage in the area which is causing pollution harmful to the environment and to the people,” said an ICT official.

No one could agree more than the rural populations who have been suffering the stinking atmosphere for 50 years.

“We are looking forward to the healthy environment the garbage collection project promises to bring,” said Mohammad Sabih, a resident of Koral.

Housewife Rukhsana Bibi of Sihala was desperate to see the project on ground. “I'm tired and sick of the foul smell wafting from the garbage dumped close to my house to rot for days,” she said.

ICT officials said that the project involves purchasing 48 wheelbarrows, at a coast of Rs240,000, for collecting garbage from the houses in the six UCs, 99 movable dustbins for Rs3.465 million and six large garbage containers costing Rs1.950 million.

Three tractors, with hydraulic trolleys, valued Rs4.350 million, will shift the collected waste to a dumping site.

Uniforms of the 72 sanitary workers to be recruited by the union councils, will cost another Rs276,000. They will collect garbage from the houses and the moveable dustbin in a locality and clean its streets and roads once a day, said the officials. Sanitary workers pay will cost the administration Rs6.21 million, and the tractor drivers Rs288,000, per year. Fuel and repairs are estimated to cost Rs5.304 million and Rs600,000 respectively annually.