ABBOTTABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project, with the support of the World Bank, organised a capacity building workshop on integrated solid waste management here.

The event, for which the KP Cultural and Tourism Authority, Galiyat Development Authority and Kaghan Development Authority collaborated with the project, was meant to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed for a cleaner region and a sustainable and zero-waste future, says a press release.

The workshop was jointly inaugurated by KPCTA director general Tashfeen Haider and GDA DG Shahrukh Ali Khan.

Senior private sector specialist from the World Bank Kiran Afzal emphasised the critical role of solid waste management in safeguarding the environment.

Kite project director Touseef Khalid noted that the workshop was a significant step towards achieving a cleaner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the project provided participants with practical solutions to the region’s waste challenges, with a focus on reducing landfill dependency and increasing waste recycling efforts.

The KPCTA chief encouraged participants from diverse sectors to actively engage and work towards developing actionable solid waste management plans.

He said that both GDA and KDA should continue the good work in sustainable waste management.

Participant Kiran Afzal commended the Kite project and the tourism department for their leadership in advancing solid waste management and tourism development.

She highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships as an effective model for addressing challenges in the sector.

Ms Afzal emphasised the potential of startups, which have both financial resources and innovative ideas, seeking partners to implement their models and bring transformative change to waste management and tourism.

The Kite experts highlighted the feasibility study, preliminary design, and solid waste management plan and led discussions on critical components of waste management, including the design and operation of material recovery facilities, the construction and management of landfills, and strategies to improve waste collection, segregation, and disposal.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2024