The government has announced its intention to revise the Master Plan of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in order to identify suitable locations for a sanitary landfill site. A consultant has been tasked with determining the feasibility of these sites by March 2023.
On February 1st, 2023, the Interior Division informed the Federal Cabinet that this decision was made based on a correspondence from the Prime Minister’s Office dated December 2nd, 2022.
The Islamabad High Court had previously directed the Secretary to the Prime Minister to submit a report outlining the measures taken to create an environmentally friendly waste disposal and management system in the ICT, as per its orders from August 12th, 2022.
With a growing population of over 2.2 million residents, the ICT produces over 1,200 tons of solid waste daily, of which only 650 tons are processed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), while the rest is managed by private contractors and Union Councils in the region.
The CDA is working to improve waste management by declaring a state of urgency for garbage transportation, hiring a consultant to develop an integrated solid waste management plan, conducting a comprehensive study of waste generation, and allocating land for garbage disposal sites.
The Federal Cabinet has approved the CDA’s request to establish a sanitary landfill site, subject to a feasibility assessment by the consultant by March 2023, with the necessary environmental and official procedures to be completed during construction. The Cabinet has also instructed the Cabinet Division to announce this decision before the official minutes are approved.
Information is incorrect regarding the disposal. Islamabad produces 1200 tons, 650 is cleared by CDA. Rest is getting dumped inside the so called rural Union councils. No private contractor or union Council does anything about that. There is no mechanism for solid waste management in rural areas.