KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly on Thursday found a legal vacuum in the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) and observed that the institution had been operating without its legally mandated divisional boards and without rules since 2021, under the sole authority of a managing director (MD).

Under the SSWMB Act, 2021, separate corporate boards are to be established at every divisional headquarters Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad and Larkana -where the mayor of the metropolitan/municipal corporations would be the chairperson and the commissioner vice-chairperson, with the objective of devolving powers to the grassroots.

Chairing the meeting at the Committee Room of the Sindh Assembly to examineaudit paras of SSWMB Karachi for the years 2023 and 2024, PAC Chairman Nisar Ahmed Khuhro directed the local government department to form boards at the divisional level and frame rules in the light of the decision of the provincial cabinet.

`The amended Act was passed in 2021 to form boards under mayors. Four years have passed, neither boards have been formed nor rules framed; then under which law is one MD running the institution,` he asked.

Committee member Qasim Soomro observed that the intent was to transfer powers to the lower tier and questioned whether boards were deliberately not being formed to avoid devolution.

The MD of SSWMB Fawad Soomro contended that under the pre-amendment 2014 Act the board was still continuing and that the cabinet and steering committee had written to the local government department.

He added that the MD could exercise executive powers.

The PAC, however, ordered that in light of the cabinet decision, divisional boards must be constituted in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad and Larkana, and rules framed.

The audit department raised an objection that the SSWMB administration had failed to generate any revenue through recycling of garbage nor had any arrangement been made to generate electricity from garbage, due to which the public was deprived of lowcost electricity supply.

When asked by the PAC chairman, the MD said that the annual budget of the institution was Rs28 billion, out of which Rs24bn was spent annually only on lifting garbage from Karachi and 10,000 to 12,000 tons ofgarbage were lifted daily from the city.

The PAC chairman said that if so many tons of garbage were being lifted daily from Karachi alone, then what was that garbage used for, and sought district-wise details of garbage collection. `If the institution is not able to generate electricity from garbage, then what is the work of the institution?` he remarked.

The SSWMB chief informed the PAC that an agreement had been reached with a UK-based firm for setting up recycling units at garbage collection points in Karachi and Hyderabad, and with DHA for recycling.

He told the committee that contract for lifting garbage in Karachi alone had been given to three Chinese and one Turkish company.

The PAC chief observed that complaints regarding non-lifting of garbage were being received frequently from all over the city, and asked who would resolve these complaints and who is responsible.

The PAC also sought a complete districtwise breakup of waste collection, expenditureincurred andrevenue generated.

Committee member Taha Ahmed said that in Orangi Town, New Karachi, Nazimabad and other areas, garbage was lying on several roads and no one was ready to lift it while most employees of the SSWMB were getting salaries sitting at home.

The SSWMB chief said that under the chairmanship of the local government minister a steering committee had been formed which was a body above the boards to which the institution reports.

He said that for formation of boards at divisional level, a committee comprising planning and development minister and labour minister had also been formed to give recommendations.