Rehan Khan Khattak, a resident of Hayatabad, a posh locality of Peshawar, complains that in this modern age household waste collection in the area is carried out by donkey carts while dirt, littered in the streets, markets, parks and around dumping points is a common sight.

He says that filth causes occasional diseases in the area and stinking smell arising out of it makes lives of surrounding dwellers even miserable. “Every day we see sight of donkey carts and swarms of scavengers at our doors. Dirt around bins and dumping sites poses serious threats not only to our environment but also to public health,” he adds.

Mr Khattak says that every political government in the province makes tall claims and design some plans but only ends up with cosmetic changes.

His woeful story has no different tinge than thousands of other citizens of the urban areas of Peshawar, home to population of four million people with no proper and effective civic services delivery system in place to provide a clean and healthy environment to its dwellers.

The condition of cleanliness in Tehkal, Board, inner city, Gulbahar, Bashirabad, Yakatoot, Charsadda Road, Warsak Road, Kohat Road and areas near canals where generally people throw filth and waste is even worse.

Dr Wasim Khan, a senior doctor at Lady Readying Hospital (LRH), while talking about hazardous effects of garbage in the city said that solid waste whether collected from household or hospitals cast serious impacts on public health.

He said that most children and scavengers caught fatal diseases while surfing reusable items in the filth. “We receive children with strange diseases almost every day. Most often incinerators remain out of order. Solid waste management, I believe is a big issue which needs immediate attention,” said Dr Wasim.

Successive provincial governments have failed to restore beauty, serenity and greenery of Peshawar city. The so-called city administrators in the past had devised various plans to bring back old identity and beauty to the historic walled-city.

According to the World Economic Forum, Peshawar once the city of flowers has earned the title of being one of the three most pollutant cities -- other two being Karachi and Rawalpindi in Pakistan. Poor civic services system has multiplied citizens’ problems about healthcare and pollution-free environment.

A reliable source told this scribe that a large number of municipal corporation employees still worked at homes and private offices of influential individuals. “Appointed on political basis at different times, most employees are untrained. Many have never turned up for duty even once in their life while a large number of them work at homes and private offices of influential people in the city. Yet a few do their own business. They come here only for salaries,” said the source.

The previous plans included beautification of the city, removal of encroachments, setting up of green parks, tree plantation drive and pollution-free city campaign but unfortunately none of these seemed to work.

Over the past several years, civic services system in and around Peshawar city went down the drain owing to increasing population, poor waste management and encroachments.

Experts believe that generation of solid household waste in large quantity in urban areas plays a significant role in polluting the provincial metropolitan in addition to many other factors. They said that there was lack of public awareness about proper disposal of solid waste.

Prof Shafiqur Rehman, a senior teacher at the department of environmental sciences, University of Peshawar, told this scribe that he had written a letter to the provincial chief secretary to set up a task force to take some practical steps regarding the adverse effects of pollution.

He said that he had advised the provincial government to devise a comprehensive plan imposing complete ban on vehicles emitting smoke, monitor brick kilns and local factories for violating rules and also chalk out a strategy for scientific disposal of solid wastes.

“I think the proposed plan should also include big cities of the province. Our students and teachers have carried out several surveys of the urban and rural Peshawar city covering almost every aspect. Complete data is available with us. I am yet to receive a positive response from the government,” said Prof Rehman.

Taimur Ahmad Shah, media manager for the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP), when contacted, said when WSSP was set up in September, 2014 it had many difficult challenges.

“Around 1,500 employees were pulled out from private homes and offices. They were properly trained on the delivery of civic services. Peshawar city was divided into four zones. Around 5,000 trained workers serve under WSSP and are working on several projects to provide better civic services to Peshawarites,” he said.

Mr Shah said that about 100 donkey carts, permitted by Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), were collecting household waste and would be soon replaced by vehicles and small bins. He said that 69 modern vehicles had been commissioned for the purpose.

Mr Shah said that 810 tonnes of waste was being generated per day and a modern system would be introduced to convert solid waste into energy that would produce 10 to 13 megawatts electricity.

“Attendance of workers is being ensured through installation of android phone system. Our rehearsal of public complaints is 98 per cent. The collection of solid waste has risen to 76 per cent from 56 per cent. Five canals passing through the city will be kept clean of garbage as nobody will be allowed to throw garbage into rivers,” said Mr Shah.

He said that mass awareness campaign would be launched through students, teachers, religious scholars and civil society members. “We have planned to penetrate all educational institutions to engage students, researchers and faculty members through banners, pamphlets and billboards to create public awareness,” he said.

Inayatullah, minister for local government and rural development, told this scribe that his department would introduce legislation after examining international practices regarding civic responsibilities.

He said that work was in progress to frame rules to define and fix civic duties and penalties for harming environment and public safety. He said that key performance indicators (KPI) were also being checked to evaluate the performance of WSSP. “We get suggestions from various quarters and stakeholders to restore real identity of Peshawar city. This time around, it will not be a cosmetic change but real civic change,” the minister promised.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2016