Written by: Hamad Ali
Posted on: July 31, 2018 | 
Nargis Latif
There is a growing problem of waste management faced by developing countries. Karachi is the biggest city of Pakistan having a population of approximately 24 million. Statistics indicate that on a daily basis, about 12,000 tons of solid waste is generated in Karachi alone, of which forty percent can be found on the city streets. Not only are those heaps eyesores, they also add to the spread of infectious diseases and climate change. Action had to be taken to tackle this and Gul Bahao is doing a phenomenal job combatting the issue of solid waste.
Nargis Latif runs Gul Bahao (let the flowers flow), an NGO based in Karachi that uses garbage to create houses, water reservoirs and swimming pools, fodder for livestock, and compost. Solid waste management is a gargantuan task which the government has to address, thus Latif’s research came to fruition in the early years of Gul Bahao. Her first project under waste recycle was called Chandi Ghar (silver house). The raw materials for Chandi technology are metallic films and plastic which makes for durable and long-lasting blocks. The houses made from those blocks cost around PKR 15000 and can withstand extreme weather conditions, and stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Around fifteen thousand houses have been installed throughout the country and this project has been a success.
Another project by Gul Bahao is the Thandi Meethi Khaad (instant compost). Compost is a brilliant natural fertilizer, but it takes almost six months to form. Latif, with her degree in botany and a keen interest in the subject, researched and came up with a solution that could turn fresh wet vegetable waste into compost in 3 days. Thandi Meethi Khaad are compressed bricks of organic waste that can be used as an organic fertilizer and when fully dried, can also be used as Choora Chara, serving the purpose of fodder for animals. This hardly costs anything, and animals can eat that instead of looking for food in mounds of solid waste dumps.
Latif also considered water scarcity and contamination issues, and came up with a natural, free of cost water purification method that could ensure clean water for everyone. Paaki Pani is a project by Gul Bahao. Transparent plastic bottles are filled with tap water and are placed under the sun for a few hours. The ultraviolet rays of the sun kill all the bacteria and the minerals remain intact in water. This proved to be a better solution than boiling the water as boiling rips the water off its essential minerals. Paaki Pani project has been recognized by the World Health Organization, which has stated that it would save millions of lives throughout the world.
Lives could also be saved by the reduction of toxic emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Latif’s tireless efforts and rigorous research produced fuel packs which would counter the ever-increasing energy crisis. Fuel packs are made of wood, paper, and cloth waste and can be used as a substitute to coal. Each fuel pack weighs around ten kilograms and comes in a size that can be carried easily. Gul Bahao proposed to the government that these fuel packs can be used in the thermal power stations, and combat the energy crisis at an extremely low cost.
Money never goes to waste and while handling waste, everything sells. Safai Kamai bank, an initiative by Gul Bahao, was established by Latif where they would buy garbage from factories, sort it out, and then sell the sorted metal, cloth, and organic waste to different middlemen, earning profit to run the organization. Nargis terms garbage as “essential cashable goods.” Located on main Rashid Minhas road opposite to Sindbad amusement park, Safai Kamai bank still runs to fund the research work happening in Gul Bahao. Latif is doing a brilliant job ensuring environmental sustainability in Pakistan, and it is recommended to visit her organization’s website, www.gulbahao.org, to learn more about their initiatives.
All pictures provided by the writer
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