KARACHI, May 8: Works for commissioning four garbage transfer stations at different sites in the city will start early next month, said sources in the city government’s solid waste management department.

It is learnt that only 40 per cent of the 8,000 tonnes of solid waste generated every day in the city is taken to two designated sites of the city government. Remaining are handled by scavengers or burnt in street corners or along the major roads, or dumped in various open fields, nullahs and creeks, causing considerable environmental and health problems and aesthetic nuisance as well.

According to a source, the sites for the proposed temporary garbage dumping have been allocated, one each in Korangi, Orangi, Mehmoodabad and Mewashah areas. Town administrations will collect solid waste from their jurisdiction and transfer those to the one of the four garbage transfer stations, added the source adding that some private parties, to be assigned soon, after due process would be made responsible to two designated landfill sites of the city government.

The government is maintaining one dumping site at Hub River Road (Gond Pass landfill) and one at Jam Chakro near Surjani Town, which are getting 1,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes of solid waste on daily basis. Preparations are on for establishment of another site in the east of the city, it was further added.