Rawalpindi:
The city’s waste management and disposal system is under intensified control of claims that Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) dump trucks responsible for ferrying waste from urban ‘dirty depots’ to the main dumping site are plagued by significant operational deficiencies.
Poor load practices mean that waste is stacked in trucks without adequate coverage, causing heavily contaminated, vicious wastewater to leak on larger roads, including the busy Murree Road, Rawal Road, selection Chowk, Katchery Chowk, Rashid Minhas Road and routes against Sawan. Wasted waste along these routes has also become a common sight.
Between 7 p.m. 8 and at. Many of these vehicles also leak oil or diesel, creating dangerous smooth spots that have led to frequent accidents.
Wednesday, around 7 p.m. 9, got such a waste -loaded truck that leaks diesel and toxic wastewater, four motorcyclists to slip and go down. Two of the motorcycles wore female passengers. All four riders sustained serious injuries with a, iftikharuddin who suffered severe bentumer. Passersby provided first aid and arranged their transport to the hospital.
Malik Zaheer Awan, president of the Citizen Action Committee (CAC), says repeated complaints have been filed with RWMC on these vehicles, claiming that water is deliberately poured on waste on depots to increase the load weight of the trucks and thereby inflated performance registers and payment requirements. This contaminated water, he warned, constitutes severe public health risks, contributes to cough, colds, hepatitis, tuberculosis, eye infections and skin diseases.
Awan adds that when such trucks stop at traffic signals, their stench encloses the entire intersection. While motorists can roll their windows, pedestrians and motorcyclists remain fully exposed.
He also notes that these vehicles travel up to 100 kilometers daily from Rawalpindis depots to the central dumping site, which continually drips toxic fluid along the way.
Mounting of public frustration has led to strong protests. District Coordination Committee Chair, MNA Engineer Qamarul Islam, told journalists that all complaints would be dealt with and that funds would be made available to improve the system where needed.
He promised to end the transport of wet waste and implement a standard operating procedure to ensure proper disposal at the central dumping space.
According to a spokesman for RWMC, all their dumpers are in working order and any isolated complaints will be dealt with.
Store owners along Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh Chowk and Talian Shahan and toxic water leakage from these trucks, however, are routine.
The residents say that the temporary depots in Liaquat Bagh and the selection Chowk Sunday Bazaar have made life unbearable for nearby communities. Despite three years of protests, they claim that no action has been taken in which officials simply listen to complaints and then remain silent.
