ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet has given the green light to a revised Master Plan for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) aimed at improving waste management in the city.
As per the details, the plan will involve the development of a sanitary landfill site, with the feasibility of one or more sites to be evaluated by a consultant by March 2023.
The decision comes following a directive from the Islamabad High Court in August 2022, directing the Secretary to the Prime Minister to provide details on the steps being taken to establish a sustainable waste management system in the ICT.
A report was submitted to the court on October 4, 2022, and was then presented to the Federal Cabinet on February 1, 2023.
The sources revealed that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had informed the government that the fast-expanding Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) was facing challenges in managing its waste.
Besides, the city has an estimated population of 2.2 million, which has led to a substantial increase in municipal waste generation, producing over 1,200 tons of solid waste every day.
Currently, CDA can only lift around 650 tons of waste daily, with private contractors and local councils handling the rest.
As the population grows, the infrastructure and services have not kept pace, leading to a lack of development in areas outside the defined sectors.
The sanitation functions of the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad were handed over to the CDA in October 2020, but limited resources and workforce have prevented full coverage.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued orders for the development of a sustainable waste management plan and a scheme for the final disposal of waste generated in the city.
In response, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has taken multiple steps to comply with these orders, including:
- Declaring an emergency to transport solid waste from transfer stations to a dumping site of RWMC.
- Procuring services through competitive bidding, and hiring.
- The Urban Unit as a consultant to develop a comprehensive waste management plan and conduct waste characterization and generation studies across the city.
Due to the limited capacity at Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), the Federal Cabinet has given the green light to a plan for comprehensive waste management in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
As per the details, the decision was taken after a proposal was submitted to the Cabinet, which outlines steps to create a sustainable solution for the growing city’s waste management needs.
The plan will be presented to the Islamabad High Court once it is approved by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board while the Cabinet has directed the Cabinet Division to announce the decision ahead of formal approval of the minutes.
