MINGORA: Despite environmental regulations and provincial government’s warnings, the tehsil municipal administration is dumping solid waste and garbage in a populated area, creating pollution and health hazards for the overall population connected with the Swat River.

Ogdai, a picturesque village located along the Swat River some four kilometers from Mingora town, was a hub of agriculture. However, about 18 months ago the Mingora TMA turned the area into a mess where environmental pollution has engulfed it turning its agriculture land into a wasteland and causing diseases in the area.

According to a TMA worker, they start throwing the garbage early in the morning and over a dozen trucks make 10 to 12 trips each.“We dig about five to six feet deep ditch here and dump the waste of the entire tehsil into it, and after filling it we cover it and then dig another one in the nearby area,” he said on condition of anonymity.

“This is of high concern that the government institutions are violating regulations and laws. About one and half years ago the TMA started dumping waste along the Swat River in our area which is not only polluting the river water, but also causing several diseases in the area,” Mohmmad Yousaf, a PhD scholar and resident of Ogdai village, told Dawn.

People of Ogdai village say waste destroying agriculture, polluting water of wells

He said that the area of waste dumping was located near the Swat River. “We have water well almost in every house just four to six feet deep as water is very close to the surface. The water is used for all our daily needs, also for drinking, but now the TMA workers dig the land about six feet where water appears in it and then they put the garbage into it,” said Mr Yousaf, adding that such ditches full of garbage also provided ideal breeding grounds for germs to multiply.

Ogdai village is a known tourist spot where people from other areas would flock to enjoy the greenery, cool breeze and river water, however bad smell, flies and mosquitoes have stopped them from coming here.

“It was one of the major areas for strawberry cultivation, but dumping of waste has eliminated the strawberry from here because huge number of flies and mosquitoes rising from the waste badly affected it,” said a resident of the area.

According to the law, dumping of solid waste and garbage along a stream or river is illegal. The KP government has recently issued notices forbidding people not to throw waste, garbage, etc in running water, otherwise they could be fined up to Rs50,000 or awarded two years of imprisonment.

When contacted, Mingora CMO Hayat Shah said that over 100 kanals had been acquired on proper rent along the Swat River in Ogdai area. “Actually, the land was far from the river, but the 2010 floods changed the course of water. Now, it seems that the dumping area is on the bank of the river,” he claimed.

“We are also in a search for suitable land where waste could be dumped and if we found we will immediately buy it,” he said. He also said that owing to the huge quantity of waste of Swat and little land there was an intense need of waste processing machine for Swat.

The local residents have staged protests on several occasions against the waste dumping in their area on which the district administration tried to pressurise them through different tactics. They also arrested the residents and fined them Rs1,000 each.

However, assistant commissioner, Mingora, Ashfaq Khan told Dawn that he would visit the spot and take appropriate action.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2015

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