RAWA LPINDI: Despite the allocation of Rs20 million some two years ago by the Punjab government, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has not procured as yet the land for dumping solid waste collected from the cantonment areas.

In the absence of a landfill site, the solid waste is dumped in nullahs and on vacant plots or burnt in the open which creates environmental problem.

Besides, one can see overflowing waste containers on every corner even in main commercial area of Saddar giving foul odour.

Two years ago, the RCB had vacated the former landfill site at Dhoke Gujran on Misrial Road on the directives of the Punjab Environment Protection Agency.

A senior official of the RCB told Dawn that the civic body procured a land at Rs100,000 per month rent at Chakri Road for dumping solid waste but had to drop the idea on the opposition of the area residents.

He said now the RCB officials were looking for a land in other areas especially near Adiala village. He said the land was not available close to the city areas and it would take two more months to complete the task.

The official said the RCB had launched a pilot project to collect garbage from some areas on daily basis but had to quit as there was no place to dump it.

Replying to question, the RCB official expressed his helplessness in stopping the sanitary workers from burning the solid waste or dumping it in the nullah. The RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Dr. Saima Shah was not available for comments.

However, the RCB Vice President Raja Jehandad Khan told Dawn that after taking oath he had asked the cantonment officials to speed up the procurement of land for garbage dumping on daily basis.

He said the RCB had contacted the Punjab Environment Protection Agency to guide the civic body in developing new landfill site which had tasked the district officer, environment, to help the cantonment board in procurement of land. He promised that the situation would improve in coming days.

The vice chairman said the RCB would soon start procurement of trucks to transport garbage from the residential areas.