Karachi: The Sindh government has decided to expedite a project to turn 8,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily in Karachi into electricity through renewable means.
In this connection, the Sindh government’s departments of Energy and Local Government have decided to combine their strength.
A meeting was held in this regard at Sindh Energy Department jointly chaired by Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh and Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah.
The meeting was informed that 8,000 tonnes of solid waste generated in Karachi daily was capable to produce up to 200 Megawatts of electricity through the renewable source of energy.
The Sindh government aims to utilize the method of public-private partnership (PPP) for doing the waste-to-energy project in Karachi.
The Sindh Local Government minister said on the occasion that the most effective utility of the proposed project was that it would provide the opportunity to dispose of waste generated in the city through the most environment friendly means.
He said that at the same the time project would produce electricity through the renewable method of energy generation.
He directed the officials concerned to expedite the project and complete a policy report of the project within two weeks to present it to the Sindh chief minister for approval.
Policy report
The Sindh Local Government secretary with support of the chief of the PPP Unit of the Sindh Government’s Finance Department and other relevant officials will write the policy report in this regard.
Sindh Energy minister also emphasised the early completion of the project so that Sindh would become the first province in Pakistan to achieve this capability. He said that after successful commissioning of the project, Sindh would be in the position to assist other provinces in launching similar waste-to-energy projects.
The meeting was informed that any of the landfill sites in Karachi would be the most suitable location to do the waste-to-energy project. Several private sector companies have shown interest to invest in the project.
The Sindh government desires to install the waste-to-energy plant in Karachi as a pilot project as after its success similar plants will be installed in other cities of the province.
The disposal of municipal waste generated in Karachi is a major challenge for the concerned authorities as recently the Sindh government has decided to establish a separate waste management agency for the city after devolving the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board.
