The Water Commission (WC) has directed the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) to stop payment to the Chinese company whose services have been contracted for solid waste management in South and East districts. The decision was taken in view of the unsatisfactory performance of Chngyi Kangjie Sanitation Engineering Company Private Limited, after the SSWMB submitted a report on the matter. The commission also directed the authorities concerned to ensure that the authorised official of the company was present in the court on the next hearing. While expressing its dismay, the WC maintained that progress report on performance of contractor hired for front end collection and disposal of municipal solid waste showed that the latter had not been performing the services agreed upon in the agreement. The commission was earlier told by the contractor, Abdul Aziz, and the operational managers in East and South districts that the general manager of the company had gone to China. The contractor appeared before the commission after remaining absent from the previous three hearings. However, the commission maintained that the presence of the chairman of the company was required since the staff deputed in the city had failed to deliver their services. The contractor was directed to ensure the presence of the chairman on the next hearing. Contractor Abdul Aziz requested the commission to grant it some time so that the chairman of the company could be contacted. Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo, the managing director of SSWMB, and Nadir Khan, the secretary SSWMB, also appeared before the WC. Talking to Daily Times, both SSWMB officials said that a Rs10 million fine had been imposed on the company alongwith directions that bags should be supplied to residents of the two districts to dispose off solid waste. Earleir, they informed the WC about the overall performance of the contractor, saying that through a letter sent on July 16, the company was alerted about negligence and slackness of some of its workers and asked to look into the matter. The letter stated that a door to door collection service had yet to be started and only parts of the union councils no 29 and 30 in the Saddar zone were provided the service. It said that janitors were not employed in the East district, while in South, lifting of garbage was not a regular feature either. It also noted that the company had failed to honour the commitment to carry out sanitation drives twice a day, alongside regular repair and maintenance of vehicles and waste bins. It said that the control centre on Nishtar Road and Mehmoodabad were in a poor condition. Other complaints were that there were no proper cleaning of containers and bins, complaint centers were non-functional, shortage of managerial and supervision staff of the company, lack of the garbage transportation vehicles to cover all areas as well as arrangements for emergency situations and night operations. Published in Daily Times, August 2nd 2018.