Sunday market buried under heaps of garbage

RAWALPINDI: A section of the Sunday Market at Committee Chowk has been turned into a temporary waste dumping site, disrupting trading activity at one of Rawalpindi’s busiest commercial locations and triggering complaints from residents and businesses in the area.

The Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) designated around one to two acres of the market area for temporary dumping, while waste collected from different parts of the city was brought there over the past three days. Residents estimated that the accumulated refuse had formed mounds reaching 40 to 50 feet in height. The site has been enclosed with green mesh fencing by the Suthra Punjab Company.

The development has affected the regular operation of the Sunday Market, which has been held for the past 46 years. The portion now being used for dumping traditionally hosts hundreds of vendors selling vegetables, fruits and other essential food items. Traders said the garbage heaps have forced stallholders to shift to Dhoke Khabba Road, a move they fear will lead to serious traffic disruption in surrounding areas.

The Suthra Punjab Company has also set up an office at the location, with sanitary inspectors and male and female sanitation workers present there. Heavy vehicles and loaders were said to be continuously transporting and unloading waste collected from across Rawalpindi.

Residents and businesses report health and financial concerns

People living and working near the site said the dumping area is close to hotels, marriage halls and commercial buildings, with some establishments located 30 to 40 feet away and residential neighbourhoods about 25 to 30 feet from the site. They said foul smell from the waste has spread across the locality and worsened after recent rainfall.

Local residents Sharif Qureshi, Sheikh Nadeem and Waris Shah said they had initially been told the area would be used only for collecting animal remains during Eidul Azha for three days. They alleged that by the morning after Eid, dozens of trucks had started unloading municipal waste there, creating large heaps of refuse.

Residents said the conditions have begun affecting daily life and business activity. Shopkeepers reported a drop in customer visits, while managers of nearby marriage halls said guests attending wedding functions had left because of the odour. Hotel operators also expressed concern over expected financial losses linked to the situation.

Locals further said complaints of coughing, throat irritation, skin allergies and other health problems had increased in the area. They warned that if the dumping site is not moved, they will protest outside the company’s local office.

Company says site is temporary

Responding to the concerns, an RWMC and Suthra Punjab Company sanitation inspector overseeing the site said the facility had been created as a temporary dumping ground to meet operational needs during the Eid period. He said the company planned to carry out daily waste clearance and keep the site maintained on a regular basis.