By Amjad Yousaf Zai
ATTOCK: Member district monitoring committee and former provincial Minister Jahangir Khanzada has said that a state of the art solid waste management plan would be executed in Hazro town of Attock soon. He was talking to newsmen at the municipal committee Hazro on Wednesday. PML President Hazro chapter Malik Ansar Ahmed, assistant commissioner Hazro Kamran Ashraf and other officials of the Local Government and Community Development Department, municipal committee and local administration were also present on this occasion. He added that after execution of the plan, the solid waste of town would be recycled to minimize the environmental threat besides converting it into reusable items. He said that in this connection, he had called upon the Secretary Local Government in Lahore to finalise the execution of the plan. He said that it is the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to reduce environmental pollution, proper solid waste management and recycling of waste across the district. He was of the view the provincial government is striving to minimize negative environmental and health impacts associated with poor disposal of waste. Responding to a question, he said that under the plan, a plant would be established for effective solid waste management; establishment of Integrated Resource Recovery Center (IRRC) and converting green waste into compost. “It is primarily a project to bring in use the municipal solid waste for formation of soil enriching natural conditioners usually used by farmers to increase fertility of soil,” he added. Responding to a question, Mr Khanzada has said that the plan would help to reduce environmental pollution and help recycling of waste. He said that such plants in other tehsils of the district. “The plant will prove to be another addition to many of other environment-friendly initiatives of the Punjab government for handling of waste in a modern and sustainable manner,” he added.
Responding to a question, he has said that Solid Waste Management is a major environmental and health hazard in the urban areas of Pakistan as cities economies are fast growing, business activity and consumption patterns are driving up solid waste quantities. In Pakistan the collection of waste is sporadic and the disposal is poor. Despite the fact that solid waste services represent the single largest expenditure item, less than 50 percent of the waste generated is collected; and is mostly disposed of at dumpsites or roadsides. Additionally, recent history has shown that lifestyle is changing at a brisk pace in society.
