KARACHI: City Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Monday said the biggest problem of the city for many years had been garbage, but a year ago, the Sindh government took control of the local government and the situation improved in a few months.

He said this while addressing a function held at China Ground, Kashmir Road, district East here. Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) managing director Zubair Channa and other officers were present on the occasion.

The administrator, who is also provincial government spokesperson and chief minister’s law adviser, said that garbage heaps were cleared from 31 union committees (UCs) of district East. “As many as 250 vehicles will collect garbage house to house in all UCs of the district,” he added.

He said the sanitation situation in the city would also be improved, adding that 200 garbage trucks were being provided to district East.

He said the SSWMB was functioning in five districts of Karachi while it would also start work in districts Central and Korangi soon.

Barrister Wahab said that now the local government in Karachi seemed to be working in full swing. “Everybody knows who dumps garbage in Lyari river,” he added.

He said that if there was a fire safety system in every office or shop, institutions would not have been blamed.

Speaking on the fire that erupted in Cooperative Market in Saddar, he said the administration worked hard to extinguish the blaze.

Mr Channa said that law enforcement agencies’ help was needed to get rid of garbage mafia.

Meanwhile, Mr Wahab said the city’s municipal administration was mulling to allow heavy traffic on Lyari Expressway on a trial basis. “Trucks and container trailers will pass through the Lyari Expressway, which will reduce traffic congestion in the city,” he said this while inspecting the expressway.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2021