Outsourcing of solid waste management in two districts okayed

The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) has endorsed the procurement process for the outsourcing of solid waste operations in the Korangi and Central districts.

The board has also approved taking up the municipal solid waste management activity in the areas of Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Murad Memon Goth and Steel Town, falling under the jurisdiction of the District Council Karachi, through an existing contract of the Malir District Municipal Corporation (DMC).

The board took these decisions in its 15th meeting held at the project office of the $240 million Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) Project.

The meeting discussed operational and administrative matters of the SSWMB and took key decisions. The meeting also approved the Rs8 billion budget of the board for the financial year 2021-22.

They also passed a resolution for the transfer and allotment of land in the name of the SSWMB at Jam Chakro spread over 500 acres and Gond Pass 450 acres in District West, SonWalhar 200 acres on the M-9 motorway in Jamshoro and Ganjo Takar 500 acres in Hyderabad being used as landfill sites to prevent encroachment and execution of other components of ADP schemes at

the sites.

The board validated the finalisation of the procurement process for middle-end operations in Hyderabad and the procurement process for the outsourcing of solid waste operations in District Korangi to a Chinese company and in District Central to a European-background company.

They also endorsed the procurement process for the outsourcing of front-end collection contract in Hyderabad and Larkana. Besides, the board acknowledged the revenue potential of Rs6.5 billion from charging minimal fees from households for solid waste management services in seven districts of Karachi. Initially, the revenue potential is estimated at Rs2.8 billion a year.

The SSWMB managing director was directed to finalise a detailed proposal in this regard. The board approved taking up the municipal solid waste management activity in the areas of Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Steel Town and Murad Memon Goth, falling under the jurisdiction of the District Council, through an existing contract of the Malir DMC.

The board has taken this decision on the request received from the district administration of Malir for the extension of sanitation services in Murad Memon Goth, Gulshan-e-Hadeed and Steel Town, which otherwise form part of the District Council Karachi limits.

The board was briefed in this regard that in compliance with the district administration’s requests, the company undertaking the waste management operations in the Malir DMC has conducted a survey and reported that the estimated population of Gulshan-e-Hadeed is 217,856 with a household count of 6,360, and their estimated garbage generation is 110 tonnes a day.

Memon Goth has an estimated population of 75,000 with an estimated garbage generation of 38 tonnes a day, while Steel Town with an estimated population of 25,000 generates 20 tonnes of garbage on a daily basis. The board approved the proposal in the best interest of the public and to minimise environmental hazards.

The meeting was chaired by Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Shah, and attended by the LG secretary, the special finance secretary, the SSWMB secretary, the operations-I and operations-II executive directors, Karachi’s additional commissioner and others.