ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) set a 10-day deadline for shifting of the makeshift landfill site from a densely populated area in H-18 to a proper place.

Justice Babar Sattar issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Naeem Zafar and other residents of Badhana Kalan near the proposed H-18 sector.

The petitioners contended that they were aggrieved of waste dumping at Mauza Badhana Kalan, Jhangi Syedan.

Counsel for the petitioners, Raja Inam Ameen Minhas, told the court that since there was no proper landfill site in the federal capital the civic agency was dumping waste near the densely-populated area.

Direction issued on plea filed by residents of Badhana Kalan located near proposed H-18 sector

He said such a makeshift arrangement not only caused environmental degradation but was also hazardous for people residing in its vicinity.

Initially, the CDA used to dump garbage in H-10. However, after the protest by the local residents and litigation, it shifted the site to H-16. When the development of this sector commenced, the dumping site was set up at Badhana Kalan near H-18.

According to Raja Inam, the civic agency nowadays is dumping the waste somewhere near I-12. He requested the court to restrain the CDA from disposing of waste near the populated area.

Justice Sattar after hearing the petition issued notices to the secretaries interior, climate change, cabinet division and directed the CDA chairman to make arrangements for the waste disposal in 10 days.

Further hearing in the matter was adjourned till a fortnight.

It may be mentioned that the CDA had planned a landfill site in Sangjani but during a public hearing conducted by Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), people living in the adjoining areas, including B-17, raised objections and requested the agency to relocate the site to protect them from its hazardous impact.

The capital, which generates over 600 tonnes of waste every day, has been without a permanent landfill site, leaving the civic agency with no option but to dump the garbage in the underdeveloped I-12 where the CDA has already allotted thousands of plots and would begin development in the next few months.

In 2004, on the recommendation of an international consultant following Pak-EPA’s approval, the civic body had selected Kuri for the landfill site. However, in 2012, the CDA board, while citing environmental objections, decided to move the proposed site from Kuri.

Planning Minister Asad Umar on January 28 said 400 kanals of Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) land will be used for the landfill site of the CDA.

The RWMC has acquired 1,265 kanals on Mandra Chakwal Road in village Bagnial, Dera Pothi and Sahang tehsil of Gujar Khan. It is located almost six km down GT Road on Mandra Chakwal Road at a distance of 55 km from the city centre.

On the other hand, environmentalists are of the view that improper disposal of municipal solid waste has serious results for environment and human health.

They say improper disposal of solid waste would produce chemicals like leachate which can contaminate the groundwater. Once the groundwater gets contaminated, billions of rupees would have to be spent on cleaning it.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2022