08-04-2011, 12:44 PM
RAWALPINDI - Open garbage dumps near the Faizabad bus stand have become a nuisance for the residents of the area as well as commuters, as the garbage produces a foul smell and poses a health hazard to the public. The garbage dumps could become a breeding ground for bacteria and give rise to a number of diseases, including diarrhea, malaria, cholera, and dengue. The dumps are also an eye-sore in the area.
Residents of the area expressed concern over the dumping of garbage. A resident, Raja Munir, told Pakistan Today, “We have time and again asked the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) to either put up a garbage trolley at the site or use some deserted place for garbage dumping, but our plea has been ignored.” Munir said that the apathy of the TMA was what led to the garbage collectors dumping rubbish near the bus stand in the first place. Further, the TMA was supposed to remove the garbage from the site once a week but this was hardly ever done, Munir said. Local shopkeepers and hotel owners were to blame as well, he said. “Hotel owners and shopkeepers also dump their rubbish near the bus stand without caring about the health of their customers,” he said.
A motorist, Sher Muhammad, complained that whenever it rained, a terrible smell emanated from the garbage. He said that there were no waste bins in the stand despite the fact that it was one of the busiest terminals of the twin cities. A commuter, Asghar, said that the garbage dumped near the bus stand made waiting at the stand an unpleasant experience. He asked the TMA authorities to make immediate garbage disposal arrangements.
When contacted, the TMA official concerned said that the authority was making arrangements to dispose of the rubbish in a deserted area. He also urged the residents and shopkeepers of the area to refrain from throwing garbage in the open.
Residents of the area expressed concern over the dumping of garbage. A resident, Raja Munir, told Pakistan Today, “We have time and again asked the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) to either put up a garbage trolley at the site or use some deserted place for garbage dumping, but our plea has been ignored.” Munir said that the apathy of the TMA was what led to the garbage collectors dumping rubbish near the bus stand in the first place. Further, the TMA was supposed to remove the garbage from the site once a week but this was hardly ever done, Munir said. Local shopkeepers and hotel owners were to blame as well, he said. “Hotel owners and shopkeepers also dump their rubbish near the bus stand without caring about the health of their customers,” he said.
A motorist, Sher Muhammad, complained that whenever it rained, a terrible smell emanated from the garbage. He said that there were no waste bins in the stand despite the fact that it was one of the busiest terminals of the twin cities. A commuter, Asghar, said that the garbage dumped near the bus stand made waiting at the stand an unpleasant experience. He asked the TMA authorities to make immediate garbage disposal arrangements.
When contacted, the TMA official concerned said that the authority was making arrangements to dispose of the rubbish in a deserted area. He also urged the residents and shopkeepers of the area to refrain from throwing garbage in the open.