The month of August brings quite a few joys for us as a nation, and this year, the celebrations of independence are powered with Karachi Cleanliness Drive and the auspiciousness of Eid-ul-Adha. There cannot be a combination better than this!
Citizens of Pakistan, especially the people living in Karachi, will be glad to know that a crucial initiative to preserve the city of lights and help it return to its glory days is already on the move. While there are several developmental projects in the pipeline, the Minister for Maritime Affairs, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, recently launched Karachi Cleanliness Drive – an independence day gift for Karachiites!
Keep scrolling for more details about this iconic initiative, and how it has recharged public figures, celebrities, athletes, corporations, and the common people to come together for a greater cause.
What is the Aim Behind the Cleanliness Drive in Karachi?
Karachi, the city of lights, was somewhat overlooked over the past decade, the aftermath of which resulted in the economic engine of Pakistan resembling a landfill. Thankfully, the federal government of Pakistan has stepped forward to lend a hand to the provincial government in maintaining cleanliness in Karachi.
The maritime affairs minister, while talking to the press on Saturday, 3rd August 2019, announced that the federal government had launched the Karachi Cleanliness Drive to free the city from the trash and garbage piling freely on the roads. He stated that the first phase of the initiative would see the central drainage systems in Karachi being cleared, assisting the flow of water left standing on the roads by the recent thunderstorms that hit the city. Adding to that, he said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan himself is backing the campaign and is the driving force behind it. While quoting the Prime Minister, he said;
“In the first phase we are going to clear all storm drains in the city and I have very clear directives from Prime Minister Imran Khan who said clean the city — whatever it takes.”
According to some sources, the campaign might run for an extended period, but people will start seeing results during the first half of August, which means that the campaign will be trailed for two weeks and the effects will be visible before the 14th of August — Independence Day.
Campaign Partners And Funding
Credits: Facebook/ Government of Pakistan
Although the federal government is driving the operation, local political parties have also shown an interest in the initiative and pledged their support. The Maritime Minister stated that the decision had been taken by the PM Khan, while the Minister himself will be administering the affairs, personally.
The minister said that this decision was taken after a letter was written to the PM by the Mayor of Karachi, Waseem Akhtar, who is also one of the collaborators of this crusade against the increasing trash in Karachi.
Ali Zaidi further added that the Frontier Work Organization (FWO) and National Logistic Cell (NLC) would provide the mechanism and planning for this project.
Moreover, FWO has announced to provide heavy machinery for the process voluntarily. It is also said that the cleaning and sanitation will be done across the city with the help of over 1,000 tractors and more than 200 dumpers. Moving further, some local organisations have also agreed to provide a human workforce for the fieldwork voluntarily.
Besides, several private and public enterprises, public figures and around 5,000 volunteers have extended their support for the cleanliness campaign in Karachi by offering financial aid and other types of assistance.
Following the pledge, Karachi Port Trust has already started to get rid of the garbage lying around its dominion areas, while K-Electric and Habib Bank Limited have also announced monetary help for the Karachi Cleanliness Drive.
Targeted Areas and Procedures
As mentioned earlier, the first phase will focus on clearing and repairing the central drainage systems in Karachi. Several reports also indicate that around 48 points in the western region have been highlighted, while around 70 spots in the east and south districts have been identified for lifting dirt and garbage in the second phase.
Assuring his commitment towards the sanitation of the city, Ali Zaidi said that cleaning up the cluster in the surroundings of the city and solving the problems faced by Karachiites is a priority of the current government. He further added that people would be provided with a guide for depositing the waste and assured the formation of dedicated dumping sites in particular areas of the city. He also provided a brief on the procedures by saying that contemporary measures will be implemented to guarantee successful waste management.
Stressing on the significance of creating awareness regarding global warming, he said that citizens need to be educated on the said subject.
Furthermore, trash and dirt laying near major schools and parks around the city will also be dissipated in the later fragments of this initiative.
How Does it Benefit the Common People?
One of the significant drawbacks of urbanisation is an increase in clutter around the city, which requires immediate attention after major rainfalls and similar natural catastrophes. Overall cleaning and hygiene of the city need to be taken care of regularly to make sure the city stays safe from environmental harms. Additionally, this movement benefits the local populace in more than one way creating a change in the atmosphere on a larger scale. Some of the noteworthy after-effects of this campaign include:
- Boosting Local Economy via Tourism
- Employment Opportunity
- Easy Commute & Minimising Accidents
- Healthier Lifestyle
Boosting Local Economy via Tourism
The world’s most visited cities boast the most effective ways of waste disposal, which majorly attracts tourists, giving an overall boost to the tourism industry and the local economy. Travelers fancy cities and spots that are clean and hygienic. For instance, Zurich, a city in Switzerland, remains a focal attraction of thousands of tourists every year due to its remarkable management for disposing and recycling waste.
Employment Opportunity
Major growth in the economy of the city will give rise to employment opportunities, filling a significant void of unemployment. In simpler words, when a new system is launched, a considerable workforce is required to accomplish the targets. Hence, the Clean Karachi Drive 2019 will pave the way for more employment opportunities.
Easy Commute & Minimising Accidents
The aftermath of storm and rainwater creates a lot of troubles for the citizens of Karachi, which includes blocked roads and overflowing gutters. This results in many of us getting late to our work or missing out on significant appointments. Also, it is common to see road accidents after natural disasters. The fixed drainage system will save Karachiites from such cases.
Healthier Lifestyle
The population of a metropolis comes in contact with their environment in several ways. It majorly depends on the way how people consume resources, including energy/water and necessities like food and land, depletion of which may decrease the quality of life. The cleanliness drive will reverse these situations and restore a healthier environment where citizens can breathe fresh air once again.
Here’s How You Can Support This Initiative
The Maritime Affair Minister called for donations right after announcing the campaign for Clean Karachi. He extensively said that a budget of PKR 1.75 billion is needed for the success of the first phase that might last for over 90 days.
He further appreciated the media for spreading the word and bringing together all the stakeholders from different fields of life. He also urged social media users to use the hashtag #LetsCleanKHI. Zaidi also shared the following banking information for donations in his recent tweets:
Account Name: FWO-CLEAN KARACHI
Account Number: 0786-7918163603
IBAN for overseas Pakistanis: PK41 HABB 0007 8679 1816 3603
Bank: Habib Bank Limited
He put a particular emphasis on requesting the Sindh government to ban the use of plastic bags. Appealing to the population living on drainage systems, he said that they should immediately migrate from there because the plan also includes demolishing properties illegally built on drainage streams.
You can be a part of this campaign and prove to be a responsible citizen by providing financial assistance or by volunteering. In the process of making Karachi cleaner and healthier on your own, taking baby-steps such as throwing trash in garbage bins only and buying recyclable material are few of the easier habits to adopt.
This initiative can last longer if you adopt a sustainable lifestyle by taking an active part in saving the earth from disastrous climate change and minimising the use of natural as well as human-made resources.
While you are at it, decreasing the consumption of plastic bags and educating fellow citizens about the many harms of plastic and discussing the advantages of clean environment can also prove to be beneficial in the long run. You can extensively inform other citizens, your colleagues, and family members about the evils of polythene bags and why Pakistani authorities are banning plastic bags in your usual conversations over lunch and evening snacks. Share your views, concerns, or questions with us at blog@zameen.com. Subscribe to Zameen Blog to remain updated on more positive news about Pakistan.
