KARACHI - Heaps of garbage and dead animals make life miserable for people living in housing societies in Scheme No 33 nearby cattle market established for Eidul Azha.
Thousands of people were already frustrated over extreme polluted environment in the surroundings of the market, and the situation took a more ugly turn when the administration of the market left the area without doing any cleanliness work.
When this scribe went to the market, the dirty and unhealthy environment became fully apparent. It was witnessed that flies covered all the floors of every house in the surroundings of the market. Dozens of dead bodies of animals were lying outside these housing societies.
Residents of the area told The Nation that they were feeling helpless in the situation. They added they were contemplating shifting to other places although temporarily to save their families from the most awful hygienic conditions.
The residents also complained that before setting up the cattle market, the administration had promised with the office-bearers of all housing societies that they would meet all the losses against the damages of any kind and would also provide clean environment after the removal of cattle market.
Despite making promises, the administration vanished from the scene before removing the animal waste.
On the other hand, municipal authorities, including Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and District Municipal Administration (DMC), East have also left the area unattended and have not taken any measure to remove filth and garbage from there. The municipal authorities do not pay any heed to the issue. Even the authorities have not lifted the offal from such localities.
While contacted, a General Physician Dr Atta Rahim told The Nation that it was to bring to the notice of the concerned officials that rainfall in Karachi had brought with it a lot of sanitary and other health-related issues. “Especially talking about the worst condition that has been observed in the vicinity of the cattle market and the most awful thing is that it is still prevailing,” he said, and added “A number of cows and other cattle are lying dead and their bodies still remain at the same site.”
He said the health of people of nearby areas was also at stake as debris of the dead cow was spreading all over the areas. “The said unhygienic condition could result in the spread of life threatening respiratory diseases and other adverse health effects,” he cautioned.
He further added that the bacterial diseases like gastrointestinal, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, malaria, skin diseases and respiratory allergies also remained as a threat for the habitants of the area. He said Mosquitoes, houseflies and other insects sit on animals waste and ultimately could spread various diseases in the respective areas.
Administrator of Cattle Market Irshad Hussain told The Nation that the cleanliness work at the site of cattle market is underway while damages of housing schemes will be fulfilled as per scheduled. On the other side, Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar unaware with the situation while assure to take notice of issue and directed concern authorities to table the report on the subject.