Solid waste management in Quetta has been a chronic problem for the past three decades. This problem is not unique to Quetta, in fact, it has been a problem in every major city of the country and in the region. A viable solution for solid waste management is to outsource its services to the private sector. Service delivery outsourcing has been a proven solution globally, including in the South Asian region (some examples are New York City, Toronto, London, Paris, Melbourne, Singapore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai and almost in every developed city).
Various governments in the past have worked to address the problem and almost every time the solution determined has been of outsourcing the services to the private sector. It needs no explanation that outsourcing of solid waste management disrupts the entire rotten ecosystem and beneficiaries. However, unlike in any developed city, here in our country and particularly in Quetta, implementation of such a solution is preparing to battle with all the dangerous elements of the dirty ecosystem. One has to be prepared to face the physical as well as social hindrances that the old delinquents must create. After all, it is a question of their very existence. Outsourcing of solid waste management literally means ripping the beneficiaries off their rent-seeking worth multi-billion annually. Examples of such beneficiaries include an employee of MCQ up in the hierarchy who receives salaries against ghost daily wagers (averaging 10 to 40 ghost daily wagers depending on where you are in the hierarchy), individuals in civil society and so-called activists (averaging 2 to 5 ghost daily wagers depending on their influence), some former councilors of local governments (2 to 6 daily wagers depending on their knowledge of the MCQ underground ecosystem), and other individuals (depending on their capacity of the noise they can create).
MCQ had over 1600 daily wagers on its payroll and not more than 400 daily wagers were present both physically and in papers. Many well-off citizens and their households who were enlisted as daily wager sanitary workers were not even aware of their such employment. The machinery inventory in MCQ has been a long mystery and to this day, the number is as enigmatic as the universe’s other mysteries. Diesel in MCQ has been an equally enigmatic and prolific variable. Such a variable, which according to MCQ’s log books, has shown Quetta’s machinery trip count better than Paris and Melbourne’s. However, the amount of plastic, diapers and waste that was left in the streets told us that it was still one of the most dirtiest cities in Pakistan.
Given this background, several key departments within the government decided to give it a final try. The idea was coined by an outgoing administrator of MCQ and endorsed by all the key officers at the government’s helm of affairs. Preparation of the technical and financial project documentation started back in December 2023. With the new government in charge, one of the first steps was to give a green signal to the project. Subsequently, the project was approved in the Public-Private Partnership Board and the provincial cabinet. The project was advertised in six leading national and international newspapers. The project advertisement itself sent ripples of shock among the existing beneficiaries who had considered it as yet another impotent effort of the government. Consequently, hefty amounts of donations were pooled in by old stakeholders, big and small, to hire an expensive team of lawyers and a CP was filed after the advertisement in the high court to hamper the procurement process. A series of hearings were held at the high court and eventually the matter was quashed resulting in despair for the old beneficiaries. The procurement process was concluded in which two consortiums submitted bids for the project and eventually, the consortium comprising Ghulam Hussain & Sons Pvt Limited, Clean Universe Eco Pvt Limited and Quetta Waste Management Company Pvt Limited won the bid which was subsequently approved by the PPP board.
It is worth mentioning that the procurement process followed the PPP process thoroughly in project development, risk assessment, statutory approvals, inter-departmental evaluation committees, publication of evaluation results and post-evaluation approvals. The entire procurement documentation and logs are available for any legally mandated institution of the country and beyond for scrutiny of any sort. It is well understood right from the inception of the project that the existing beneficiaries will target the project from every angle and the procurement process always remains the most frequent target. The project team has executed the entire process meticulously to keep any influence on the transparency of the procurement process. Under the project’s financial model, the government shall pay up to PKR.900 million annually to the consortium against the services provided. The government has not paid a single rupee to the consortium so far, even though services were commenced in August. It may be noted that MCQ was spending over 2 billion rupees from the government’s exchequer while the quality of services provided for decades is no secret. MCQ has about 270 machines to manage the waste, out of which about 189 machines had to be handed over to the private party, however, as part of the resistance tactics only 80 machines (with majority out of order or condemned) have been handed over to the private party.
The private consortium started its operations from one of the most challenging areas of the city i.e., Satellite Town on August 14th. The consortium has produced impressive results at Satellite Town where door-to-door collection of waste has also been started. Desilting of drains was not carried out in years in the area. Piles of waste in streets and blocked drains had become a part and parcel of their lives. The project teams with their work have been heroic whose efforts have been hailed by the residents with many households serving the hardworking janitors with tea and treats. It is a sight worth watching in Quetta. An important fact is that the project will be sustainable with a one-third financial burden on the government, the remaining revenue streams will be generated by recycling the trash and a nominal household fee (the lowest in the country) of about PKR.250 per month per household or PKR.8 per day per household.
Under the project, the private consortium will take over the entire city until the end of December this year. On October 11th, the consortium took up 21 wards of the city which sent the hardest shockwave among the old beneficiaries who have ever since started another campaign to affect the teams and the project. Today, Oct 20th, tires and large pieces of wood have been deliberately planted at many drain culverts across the city to block drains and cause drain spills. The project teams and the private party staff are now well used to the tactics and have been successfully fixing all such hindrances with amazing efficiency.
Any progress in any part of the world requires sincere intent and determination. The project will continue to face challenges both physical and social, and the teams are ready to face them for the love of Quetta. Safa Quetta is a project with a heartfelt intent and iron determination, and God willing, it will be implemented across the city successfully. The project slogan sums it well, “Kar Ke Rahangey”.
Author: Syed Abdul Rehman (from the waste battle field)
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