The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) on Thursday decided to make waste management compliance mandatory for the issuance of trade licences and business registrations in Karachi as part of efforts to strengthen enforcement of solid waste management laws and improve the city’s sanitation system.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by SSWMB Managing Director Tariq Ali Nizamani, where several measures were approved to enhance waste management and cleanliness across the city.
Under the proposed policy, all shopkeepers, commercial establishments and industrial units would be required to obtain a Waste Management Compliance Certificate from the SSWMB before securing a trade licence or business registration.
To facilitate the process, the trade licensing system of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) would be integrated with the SSWMB’s mobile application, enabling online verification of waste management compliance certificates.
Officials informed the meeting that, once the proposal receives approval from the Board’s Steering Committee, no exemptions or concessions would be granted, and all relevant authorities would be required to ensure its strict implementation.
Addressing the meeting, Tariq Ali Nizamani directed that all shopkeepers and industrial units must segregate waste generated on their premises in accordance with prescribed procedures. Wet and dry waste would have to be separated before being handed over to the SSWMB collection staff.
He further directed that shopkeepers would only be issued trade licences after receiving waste management awareness training and the required certification from the board. Similarly, industrial establishments would also be required to complete awareness training and obtain certification from the SSWMB as part of the registration process.
The meeting also instructed directors and officials of waste management contracting companies to take immediate action against shopkeepers, commercial establishments and industrial units found violating waste disposal regulations. Offenders would be served notices and penalised in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations.
The SSWMB managing director said the measures were aimed at modernising Karachi’s waste management system, promoting segregation of solid waste at source, reducing environmental pollution, and providing citizens with a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable urban environment.
