Rawalpindi: Residents of Rawalpindi are facing a persistent problem of foul odour as the garbage transfer station near Liaquat Bagh is unlikely to be relocated, Rana Sajid, Managing Director of Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), confirmed this to The News on Sunday.
The residents of Rawalpindi are not only exposed to the constant stench but are also suffering from various lung diseases due to the proximity of the garbage transfer station to Liaquat Bagh. Despite numerous complaints, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has not taken any action under the Suthra Punjab programme to remedy the district administration’s failure to relocate the station. Rawalpindi, once a beautiful city, is now marred by the constant stench, yet the district administration has not taken this problem seriously for over a decade.
RWMC Managing Director Rana Sajid explained that the transfer station cannot be shifted to another location due to lack of land. “We do not have enough space to shift this transfer station, so the people of Rawalpindi have to endure this foul smell permanently,” he said. He acknowledged the persistent foul smell that bothers the local residents round the clock, adding that the smell may subside after the monsoon season.
The areas most affected by the stench are Mareer Chowk to Committee Chowk, Gawalmandi, Raja Bazaar, Arya Mohallah, Tipu Road, Jahangir Road, College Road, China Market and several other nearby localities. Residents of these areas are suffering from various health problems due to the pervasive stench, but the authorities have been ignoring this problem for over a decade.
The environmental impact of this garbage transfer station constructed by Albayrak under RWMC has become a serious problem, especially for the local residents. The foul smell emanating from the station not only bothers the local residents but also affects the users of major roads like Murree Road, Mareer Hassan Road, Kutcherry Road and GT Road as the garbage is transported on these routes from evening to late night.
People of Rawalpindi have demanded that Punjab Chief Minister, Prime Minister and Chief Justice of Pakistan take action to restore the beauty of the city. Meanwhile, residents and shopkeepers of Arya Mohallah, Liaquat Bagh, College Road, China Market, Chamanzar, Tipu Road and Gawalmandi have threatened that they will take to the streets and block all traffic if the garbage transfer station is not removed immediately.
