‘Making entire Punjab spotless’: Punjab govt launches cleanliness campaign

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Friday launched the ‘one month cleanliness and sanitation campaign’ to make entire Punjab spotless in one month.

The campaign was started on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, which would be spearheaded by the Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department (LGCD). In this connection, the department issued a letter to all local governments and waste management companies, stating that the clean Punjab campaign will continue from March 1 to March 31.

As per the details shared LGCD, the main components of the campaign include massive public awareness involving walks, public briefings, leaflet distribution, community mobilisation, flagship marches, branding of the campaign and interactive sessions, especially in educational and religious institutions, by utilising all available resources and engaging all stakeholders.

In a letter to all aligned departments, the department said local governments would especially focus on one-time comprehensive cleanliness of rural and urban areas; placement and regular cleaning of waste bins at all conspicuous places; lifting of solid waste from temporary dumping sites; and shifting of temporary collection points from residential areas. Moreover, during the campaign special squads of local governments and waste management companies will remove all types of wall chalking while the relevant staff will clean drains and sewerage lines, and cover uncovered manholes.

The campaign will also focus on better management of sewer water ponds; repair/maintenance and cleanliness of water filtration plants; ensuring 100 percent functioning of street lights though these may be switched on an alternate basis to conserve energy; and patchwork at roads and streets and ensuring removal of stagnant water from roads and streets.

During the campaign, they would resolve the issue of encroachments by convincing the shopkeepers not to encroach the walkways with temporary stocks and limiting the hand-carts to avoid congestion and thus ensure smooth traffic flow and public convenience.

The department conveyed to local governments and waste management companies that during this special campaign, they should ensure 100 percent coverage of their areas of jurisdiction. The campaign should bring significant improvement in cleanliness conditions across the province, it added.

It noted that the activities (before and after the campaign) would be duly mapped on relevant Management Information Systems (MISs) and the relevant staff should record public feedback with small video testimonials (10-15 seconds with the display of name, mobile number and occupation of the citizen displayed on video recording).

It is further added that under the ‘Ab Gaon Chamkain Gey/Sutra Punjab’ vision of the government, at least five villages would be upgraded as model villages (in respect of cleanliness, signage, cleanliness of drains and vitality of village committees).

The department has appointed the LGCD Director General as the focal person for the campaign who would be assisted by the secretary of the local government board and district administration. The focal person would keep a close liaison/coordination with local governments and district administrations for the successful completion of the campaign.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024