Open dumping of garbage: G-10 residents fear another epidemic outbreak
Open dumping of garbage: G-10 residents fear another epidemic outbreak
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: Residents of Sector G-10 fear that open garbage dumps could result in outbreak of an epidemic in the city.“The sector has been converted into a filth depot as Capital Development Authority (CDA) is dumping waste in open in Sector G-10/1 near Islamabad High Court,” Rizwan Malik, a resident told Daily Times on Friday.He said due unbearable foul smell and health hazards associated with open dumping of waste, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ordered CDA to shift the dumping site but the authority just shifted it across the road, on Kashmir Highway.“The CDA has converted the sector into a filth depot causing air and water pollution – a serious health hazard. Pollution is creating irritation, tension, headache and depression among the residents of the area besides increase in waterborne diseases, said Dr Rashid, an employee of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and a resident of sector G-10/1.He strongly criticised the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and CDA for dumping the waste in open. He said it would further pollute underground water.He said due to malfunctioning of water treatment plants, water-borne diseases including hepatitis and viral epidemic broke out in 1994 in Islamabad, especially in sector G-10, where out of a total population of 36,705 individuals, 3,827 cases of acute icteric hepatitis were recorded. He said no investigation was done in that regard to bring the responsible persons to book. He said open dumping and drinking water pollution could result in any epidemic again.He demanded that President Asif Ali Zardari, who had been environment minister in the past, bring those to justice who degraded the environment of the capital. He said Pak-EPA Director General Asif Shuja Khan and Member Environment Mazhar Hussain must be asked why despite having all resources at their disposal they failed to protect the greenery of the capital.Sources in PCRWR told Daily Times that filtration plants installed in most of the sectors were producing polluted water. They said a filtration plant required a proper and regular maintenance. If filters are not changed at the prescribed time they fail to stop filtered chemicals and microorganisms to supply lines, he added.Sources in Ministry of Environment told Daily Times that the project to generate energy from the waste by using latest technology was postponed on the interference of high-ups.The residents said use of pressure horns by heavy traffic on Kashmir Highway were making their night sleepless. They demanded that use of pressure horns in residential sectors and Kashmir Highway must be stopped at once.It is learnt that Pak-EPA has neither human resource nor equipment to check the noise pollution. Replying to a question about water pollution in the capital, Pak-EPA officials said they were only responsible for water filtration plant installed at their F-11 office. They put the whole responsibility of providing safe drinking water to the residents on CDA.CDA officials said they had no option but to dump the waste in open. They said they had been dumping it in open since Islamabad came into being and this practice had caused no damage to the environment. They were of the view that dumping in open for some more years would not harm the environment.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\09\13\story_13-9-2008_pg11_11
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: Residents of Sector G-10 fear that open garbage dumps could result in outbreak of an epidemic in the city.“The sector has been converted into a filth depot as Capital Development Authority (CDA) is dumping waste in open in Sector G-10/1 near Islamabad High Court,” Rizwan Malik, a resident told Daily Times on Friday.He said due unbearable foul smell and health hazards associated with open dumping of waste, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ordered CDA to shift the dumping site but the authority just shifted it across the road, on Kashmir Highway.“The CDA has converted the sector into a filth depot causing air and water pollution – a serious health hazard. Pollution is creating irritation, tension, headache and depression among the residents of the area besides increase in waterborne diseases, said Dr Rashid, an employee of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and a resident of sector G-10/1.He strongly criticised the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and CDA for dumping the waste in open. He said it would further pollute underground water.He said due to malfunctioning of water treatment plants, water-borne diseases including hepatitis and viral epidemic broke out in 1994 in Islamabad, especially in sector G-10, where out of a total population of 36,705 individuals, 3,827 cases of acute icteric hepatitis were recorded. He said no investigation was done in that regard to bring the responsible persons to book. He said open dumping and drinking water pollution could result in any epidemic again.He demanded that President Asif Ali Zardari, who had been environment minister in the past, bring those to justice who degraded the environment of the capital. He said Pak-EPA Director General Asif Shuja Khan and Member Environment Mazhar Hussain must be asked why despite having all resources at their disposal they failed to protect the greenery of the capital.Sources in PCRWR told Daily Times that filtration plants installed in most of the sectors were producing polluted water. They said a filtration plant required a proper and regular maintenance. If filters are not changed at the prescribed time they fail to stop filtered chemicals and microorganisms to supply lines, he added.Sources in Ministry of Environment told Daily Times that the project to generate energy from the waste by using latest technology was postponed on the interference of high-ups.The residents said use of pressure horns by heavy traffic on Kashmir Highway were making their night sleepless. They demanded that use of pressure horns in residential sectors and Kashmir Highway must be stopped at once.It is learnt that Pak-EPA has neither human resource nor equipment to check the noise pollution. Replying to a question about water pollution in the capital, Pak-EPA officials said they were only responsible for water filtration plant installed at their F-11 office. They put the whole responsibility of providing safe drinking water to the residents on CDA.CDA officials said they had no option but to dump the waste in open. They said they had been dumping it in open since Islamabad came into being and this practice had caused no damage to the environment. They were of the view that dumping in open for some more years would not harm the environment.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\09\13\story_13-9-2008_pg11_11
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