Municipal Solid Waste Quantity, Composition and Current Management Practices in Gilgit City, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Gilgit city with an area of around 10 sq. kilometers and an estimated population of about 65,845.6 people is most rapidly growing urban settlement of the province. This city generates about 42.5 tonne of waste per day and Municipal Committee Gilgit (MCG) is the authority responsible to manage this waste. The present annual budget of Municipal committee is around Rs. 1,8900000 (USD 189, 000). Equipments and machineries available for waste collection and transportation include 4 tractor trolleys, 200 Dustbins (installed), Dumpsters 15, Beats 7, Mazda 1 and, 25 wheel barrows. Waste is picked up manually using handcarts, baskets and polythene bags. Irregular and uncontrolled sweeping, confined to commercial zones, together with refuse generated from the household and commercial areas i.e. indiscriminately thrown on the roadsides. Tractor trolleys are used to collect and transport waste out of the city. There is no proper disposal method for the generated waste and is dumped on land within the city along Gilgit River (Indus River) bank. Major sources of waste in Gilgit city include, Household waste 40%, Commercial establishment (e.g. shops and hotels, offices) 60%. This generated waste is comprised of organic waste (e.g. food waste) 70-80% Inorganic waste (e.g. plastic, glass and metals) 20 - 30%.