Where should our trash go?

It is time to reminisce and understand what it was about Karachi that made Sir Charles Napier say: “You will yet be the glory of the East; would that I could come again, Karachi, to see you in your grandeur”. Ironically, mounds of garbage and its improper disposal has become a growing problem in Karachi. We should take some steps to resolve this issue in our own space. In the interest of a healthy environment, it is important to ensure that an appropriate system of disposal is put in place. Garbage is generally disposed in a communal trash area that is built on empty plots or other open areas. This encourages rodents, cockroaches and mosquitoes to breed and, in turn, results in the spread of various diseases. During my recent visit to Karachi, I learnt that Chikungunya and dengue fever has been rampant in Karachi. Additionally, we are all aware of the repercussions of an enhanced greenhouse effect. Garbage should therefore not be burnt as this creates toxic smoke that is suffocating and hazardous to the environment and our health.

The following steps should be taken in residential areas to ensure that the environment doesn’t get polluted: the garbage should be collected in plastic bags and placed in the compounds of houses in a plastic bin that has a lid. It would be best to fix a day and time with the garbage truck and give it directly to them as there is a risk of these bags being torn by animals or passers-by. In the quest for a clean environment, it would be ideal if nurseries are allowed to be cultivated on empty plots. Trees and other foliage can be planted as well.

Zeba Hasan Hafeez

Karachi