KARACHI: Campaigner Alamgir Khan, whose ‘Fix it’ campaign to cover unsealed manholes in the metropolis gained media attention earlier this year, announced the next step of his campaign which involves placing trash bins near roadside garbage points in Karachi.

In a post on Facebook, Alamgir said "We will place these trashbins at roadside garbage points. With this idea, we will be able to permanently clean the targeted area."

"Again it is a tactic to awaken the #SleepingBeauties," Alamgir said on Facebook. "We expect good from the new #Responsibles. They need time. Fair enough. But the new chief minister is disappointing us. More than a month has passed, #AamAadmi issues remain the same," he said.

If those in power fail to deliver, the 'Fix it' campaigner threatened to draw their sketches at garbage points in an attempt to divert their attention towards the issues of ordinary people.

Alamgir told Dawn.com that the new phase of the campaign will begin next Sunday. Arrangements to dispose off garbage from the trash bins to landfill sites will also be made, he said.

Initially the project will cover the road from Iqra University to the Baloch Colony flyover, but will later be expanded to other parts of the city, he said. There will be 20 trash bins placed along the road in this area.

"During our campaign we mobilise area residents. We clean the area, remove garbage from localities and start plantation at the targeted site, but our efforts are not yielding desired results due to non-cooperation of the concerned authorities," he claimed.

The campaigner claimed that the city produces 12,000 metric tonnes of garbage, whereas the district municipal bodies only dispose off 3-4 tonnes of garbage at landfill sites.

"We have been closely monitoring the progress of newly-appointed Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, as well as Deputy Mayor Karachi Arshad Vohra, as he declared removal of garbage as his top priority," Alamgir said.

He added that the campaigners will monitor the situation for up to 45 days. "Then," he warned, "we will draw their sketches on our trash bins."

Alamgir appreciated the response the campaign had received so far. People have donated a tractor, manhole covers and other paraphernalia to the campaign, he said. "We also have a web of volunteers at the district level and we have also established an office in Gulshan-i-Iqbal."

The campaigners are also working to mitigate the water crisis in Karachi, he said, for which they have installed a reverse-osmosis water treatment plant, besides boring for water in several areas.

"We also provide lunch to some 150 people daily at our office," he said.