Rawalpindi looks like one big dustbin

Since the pioneering move of Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), civic authorities managed to bring in international standards in the removal of garbage from the streets of Rawalpindi city. The activities include sweeping, collecting, storing, transporting, disposal, and creating awareness. Through these measures, the company allegedly removes tons of garbage daily from within the city.

“Motorized garbage pickup vehicles fitted with bins are used for collecting waste. Some workers do the work of sweeping the roads and picking loose litter. They shovel away the filth and throw it into the vehicle’s bin and the vehicles go away with wreaths of dirt hanging out of their sides, thus spilling the waste,” says Turab Naqvi.

“I saw yesterday, a man was searching for something in the dustbin on Airport Road Link Road near Baoo Jee Murgh Pulao, and in the process, was throwing out more litter on the road. This is a common sight on almost every road of the city. All kinds of trash blot the roads and, to add to its foulness, rag pickers search for some treasures in them, thereby scattering the contents,” says Nisar Turabi.

“Our problem is that the citizens never think of the city as their own. If they had, they would never have littered their own streets. I am sure they never litter their homes in this way because they are possessive about their property. This sense of belonging is not there when it comes to the city. As a result, we have streets that have dustbins but the refuge is not inside the bins,” says Murad Hussain.

“I have seen house cleaners, even owners of big houses, coming out with polythene packets and throwing those from a distance, in a way that would put an Olympic javelin or discus thrower to shame. By the time the packet falls inside — mostly it is outside — the bin, the rubbish spills out of the polythene and litters the roadside. The polythene then remains to flutter on the road until a rag picker comes and gathers the treasure,” says Riffat Abbas.

“It is true that in some places the dustbins are somewhat small. Adequate storage facilities ought to be provided, taking into account the population density to prevent overflowing of garbage cans. The city government should prohibit littering on the street and put a fine immediately on anyone who litters the streets,” says Najaf Naqvi.

“House to house, waste collection has been organized in the city, but the steps taken to notify the public about the schedule and the methodology of the collection is not clear. The waste collecting vans have no fixed time to arrive and clear the waste bins. They come according to their own sweet time and their whims and fancy,” laments Fawad Ali.