SSWMB raise concerns over waste disposal efforts by Chinese firm

KARACHI: Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) has expressed reservations over the waste collection and disposal operation by a Chinese firm in District South.

In 2019, Changyie Kangjie Sanitation Company was awarded the contract to collect waste in South and East districts, while Hangzhou Jinjiang Company would manage garbage in districts Malir and West.

Deputy Director South Abdul Sami Shaikh has written a letter to the Regional Manager of Changyie Kangjie Sanitation Company expressing concerns over the waste collection and disposal and urged to improve the operational activitiesies of the company.

The company has been instructed to provide union council-wide surveyors deployment report, waste containers report and conduct a manual sweeping in Lyari zone.

It has been asked to repair all vehicles of the District Municipal Corporation (DMC) which are not being used. More than eighty garbage trucks of the company have broken down due while manual collection of waste is being done but sufficient sanitation staff has not been hired.

The letter also complained over the non-cooperation of the Regional Manager of Changyie Kangjie Sanitation Company, who has not followed earlier directives of the SSWMB. It also said there were insufficient tools and improper maintenance of the SSWMB’s workshop.

The Changyie Kangjie Sanitation Company has been asked to furnish a detailed report over progress made in waste collection and disposal efforts in District South.

Earlier in September, the Sindh government has renewed the contract of a Chinese firm to collect municipal trash from Karachi’s District West.

The government had previously revoked the contract about a year ago after receiving complaints that the Chinese firm Hangzhou Jinjiang had failed to discharge its responsibilities in the district. The contract has been renewed on the assurance of the firm

Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah said all the firms assigned responsibilities were obligated to collect garbage and no laxity would be accepted in disposal of municipal waste from the city.

He said the Chinese firms were responsible to do municipal waste disposal work in four districts of Karachi. The chief secretary also directed that tenders should also be released for contracting the services of firms for garbage disposal work in the remaining Central and Korangi districts.