Suthra Punjab Under Fire Over Waste Collection in Taxila

Taxila, a city in Suthra Punjab, is facing a severe waste management crisis as garbage piles up and is being openly burnt despite directives from authorities to curb air pollution. Residents and traders claim that irregular waste collection and inadequate supervision have allowed garbage to accumulate at various locations in the city, leading to a growing public nuisance.

The situation has become particularly alarming due to the open burning of waste in a busy area, even though government departments have been instructed to prevent activities that contribute to air pollution.

Munaza Peerzada, chairperson of a local NGO focusing on environmental and social issues, highlights the broader implications of the problem, questioning the monitoring, accountability, and performance of Suthra Punjab workers. She demands answers regarding who is responsible for timely waste collection, why anti-smog directives are not being enforced, and what action is taken when workers fail to perform their duties.

Social activist Kalsoom Choudhry emphasizes the need to investigate the entire chain of responsibility, including waste collection, transportation, disposal, worker attendance, route monitoring, and supervisory inspections. Citizens are increasingly questioning the number of workers assigned to Taxila, the specific areas each team covers, the frequency of waste collection, the process for checking attendance, and whether any action is taken against those who neglect their responsibilities.

One local resident, Jameel Ahmed, poses a simple yet crucial question: if garbage can be openly burned beneath a major overhead bridge while the government is actively campaigning against smog, who is actually enforcing the rules? When asked, the Suthra Punjab Taxila operations manager, Shehryar Khan, admits that local traders are burning the garbage instead of company staff.

He adds that waste is also being disposed of in open spaces rather than designated bins, which he attributes to a lack of public awareness and responsibility.