KARACHI: A proper city planning can check the growing warming in megacity Karachi, say experts. Dr Syed Raza Ali Gardezi, an environment expert and general secretary at Citizens for Environment, has said that the construction frenzy in the name of development - coupled with arbitrary tree hacking and no plantation - has given rise to the Urban Heat Island effect, which comes into play when cemented buildings absorb warmth of the sunlight during the day and emit it in the evening and night, causing high night temperatures.
"Trees provide life-giving oxygen. When we hack them down, the temperature automatically goes up," said Gardezi, adding that "the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line Project had also caused tree cutting, while trees along Kashmir Road, Tariq Road, and various other roads had been uprooted ruthlessly".
To tackle the warming issue, he emphasized the urgency for proper city planning. He suggested vertical gardens in all the new and old buildings besides establishment of rooftop gardens. "Solar panels should be used in place of generators, while wind turbines should be installed in coastal and other open areas."
Ahmed Shabbar, an environmentalist running the GarbageCan initiative, observed that Karachi generates 6.2 million tonnes of garbage on an annual basis. "Out of this, 60 percent is disposed of at garbage dumping sites, while 40 percent is abandoned and burnt at various places in the city. The practice is not only illegal but is a contributor to the rise in the city temperature in a big way.
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