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Title:
The Orangi Pilot Project
Keywords: NGOs, Community participation, Sewerage system, Integrating stakeholders
Location: Pakistan
Time Frame: 1980-1993
Relevant items: - Integrating stakeholders
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Problem overview:

     Integrating stakeholders: When various stakeholders join forces by each contributing their technical expertise or financial support in a certain project, much can be done even without the assistance from the government. This can be demonstrated in the example on the Orangi Pilot Project.

Background in summary:

     The launch of Orangi Pilot Project: In Karachi, Pakistan, government-sponsored initiatives to regularize squatter settlements failed because of opposition by administrators and landowners. Frustrated by lack of progress, a local non-governmental organization launched the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) in 1980.

     The need for sewerage system in the community of Orangi: The community of Orangi, the largest squatter settlement in Karachi, decided that the installation of sewerage was their highest priority. OPP decided that the local government should install the system, free of charge. The government refused and the system was not installed because of Orangi's unauthorized status.

     The community designed their own sewerage system: The community rallied to design an innovative low-cost sewerage system that was financed and constructed completely by the community. As a result, more than 72,000 sanitary latrines were installed and 1.3 million feet of sewer lines were laid. Unfortunately, the OPP sewer system could not be connected to existing city pipes because of its unauthorized status.

     The sanitary system was adopted in other communities: The OPP project attracted the attention of international donors and similar sewer projects were set up in three squatter settlements in the Sukker Municipality, Province of Sindh. This project began in July 1990 and has resulted in improvement of the sanitary conditions of all three settlements with the help of the experience gained in the OPP, Karachi.

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Peer Review Committee

Good practice rating:

(1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)

Sustainability Efficiency
2 Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other. 1 Cost efficient.
2 Sustainable over time (not one-off) Process
Adaptability 1 Participation of the community
3 Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?) 2 Participation of resource owners/users
2 Socio-cultural adaptability. 2 Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
3 Level of development adaptability. 2 Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
3 Style of government adaptability. 2 Ability to attract political interest/support
3 Degree of decentralization adaptability. 3 Procedures for feedback and review.

Comments on this example:

     Lack of coordination in the legislative process can act as a hindrance to environmental programs.

Sustainability of the project:
 
Adaptability of the project to other situations:

      This is actually a quasi-success story. It shows how powerful and constructive community action can be, even in the face of flawed leadership. But the actual best practice came when government and NGOs worked in concert. This demands a decentralized governmental paradigm. Documentation: Literature or other written project review references

Process of decision making and implementation:

     Integrating stakeholders: There are 2 important features that would help play a part in the success of this programme; community participation is vital and local NGOs should have proper authorization so that full potential of their efforts can be realized.

Cost efficiency:
 


Documentation:

Literature or other written project review references

The Orangi Pilot Project in Karachi, Pakistan
The Best Practices Initiatives
Human Settlements in Asia Gateway to Urban Planning and Management in Asia
URL http://www.hsd.ait.ac.th/bestprac/orangi.htm

Source of Information:

Ministry of Environment, Local Government and Rural Development, Pakistan

Contacts:

 

Submitted by:

Resource person in expert group meeting held under the project


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