Confronted with a daily municipal refuse output exceeding 14,800 tonnes-surpassing the levels of Mumbai, Delhi, and Dhaka-the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) is seeking powers to impose fines up to Rs 20,000 on vehicles scattering garbage, as it prepares to launch the city’s first biogas facility on December 15, 2025.
The initiative was unveiled by SSWMB Managing Director, Tariq Ali Nizamani, during a seminar on sustainable urban waste solutions today. He detailed that the pioneering biogas plant at Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim will initially supply low-cost cooking fuel to dozens of gas-deprived households in the Clifton area.
Nizamani stated the facility will process up to seven tonnes of livestock refuse daily, providing gas to between 70 and 80 nearby homes at a subsidised monthly rate of Rs 2,000. A subsequent phase will see the plant generate electricity to address persistent lighting problems at the park.
A second biogas installation is planned for the city’s Cattle Colony, furthering the board”s strategy to convert substantial organic waste into energy and mitigate severe marine pollution caused by hazardous dumping into the sea.
The SSWMB chief disclosed that the board has requested authority from the provincial government to penalise heavy vehicles that recklessly transport refuse and to curb littering by citizens, proposing the substantial new fines.
Highlighting the scale of the waste crisis, Nizamani noted that District Central is the largest contributor among the city”s seven districts, producing over 3,000 tonnes daily. He pointed out that approximately 42 per cent of the city”s total refuse is organic material suitable for conversion into biogas or compost, and Karachi generates 25 per cent of Pakistan”s total recyclable plastic waste.
To manage this challenge, the SSWMB has deployed over 13,000 workers and 2,305 vehicles. Nizamani informed attendees that advanced technology is being utilised for real-time monitoring of the collection and disposal chain, supported by a fully operational public helpline, call centre, and mobile application for lodging complaints.
He also mentioned the ongoing World Bank-funded Solid Waste Emergency and Efficiency Project (SWEEP), which aims to modernise the city’s infrastructure with new garbage transfer stations and an engineered sanitary landfill.
During the event, organised by the FPCCI”s Central Standing Committee on SDGs and the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH), other civic leaders voiced pressing concerns. FPCCI Vice-President Aman Paracha stressed the urgency of implementing modern disposal systems, citing unattended rubbish heaps along railway tracks as a major issue.
Senior environmentalist Saqib Ejaz Hussain called on the Sindh government to ensure the proper disposal of the city’s vast quantity of medical waste, warning that its illegal burning at night is a significant contributor to air pollution.
Representing the Dawoodi Bohra Community, Ali Asghar Quettawala advocated for a one-window operation to handle all categories of urban refuse, including municipal, construction, and sewerage waste.
FPCCI Standing Committee Convener Naeem Qureshi appealed for increased financial and logistical support for the SSWMB from the provincial government, while climate activist Ahmed Shabbar called for a broad-based public awareness campaign to encourage citizen participation in making the city cleaner.