LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has said that the sanitary workers performed their duties round the clock during the Eid days to ensure cleanliness.
He expressed these views while addressing a press conference here on Thursday; he was joined by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari. He further said that 55,000 sanitary workers performed their duties in the scorching heat during the festive days, adding that they did not allow illegal cattle markets for the first time in Punjab.
Talking about complaints received on their helpline, the Minister disclosed that 38,000 public complaints were addressed during three days of Eid-ul-Azha. He further said that 294 sale points for sacrificial animals were set up across Punjab where the local government department provided free services to the citizens and traders while Illegal sales points were strictly discouraged as well.
He added that 3.2 million eco-friendly bags were distributed by the government and over 11,000 vehicles remained busy in cleanliness work day and night while the roads were washed with rose water and phenyl.
To a question, he said that a uniform sanitation system will be enforced throughout the province, which will create over 100,000 employment opportunities.
On local bodies elections, he said that the Chief Minister right after assuming her office started working on it; she constituted a committee under his leadership that has completed a lot of work. Local government elections would be held as soon as possible, he added.
While giving Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz the credit for a successful clean operation during the holidays, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari told the media that she (the Chief Minister) knows very well how to get her orders implemented.
“She believes in taking practical steps and we saw her vision during this Eidul Azha, as Punjab set a record of cleanliness drive this year. Initiatives like zero waste on Eid, cheap bread, reduction in rents and reduction in inflation have never been done earlier. The journey of prosperity and development will continue in Punjab. Some people have not been able to achieve development in their province, but the development in Punjab was causing distress and discomfort to some people,” she added.
“During the Eid days, we not only focused on cleanliness but also ensured that the passengers were not overcharged by the transporters. A crackdown was launched against the overcharging on this Eid-ul-Azha. As many as 1,448 vehicles were fined for overcharging during three days of Eid and FIRs were launched against nine suspects for violating the government orders,” she said.
She assured that this process would continue even after Eid; 100 percent implementation of the notification being issued by the Punjab government regarding the new rental agreements will be ensured. She added that whenever a PML-N government comes into power in Punjab, it gets a Chief Minister who sets development records and others follow Punjab.
On load-shedding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), she said that the KP Chief Minister should take steps to prevent electricity theft in his province instead of turning off the electricity in the grid stations. “If they cannot take any positive initiative for the well-being of the people of their province then they should avoid giving threats. Whoever uses electricity will have to pay electricity bills. Shutting down the grid station appears to be part two of the 2014 sit-in,” she added.
To a question, she said that it is the right of nurses to protest, but the death of innocent children due to wrong injection cannot be ignored. People go to hospitals to get treatment, not to die; if someone’s life is lost due to someone’s negligence, it cannot be tolerated, she added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.