Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif has said that to restore the beauty of Lahore, haphazard billboards were being removed while landscape and models were being set up at important places. He also directed to replace fused streetlights on all roads by January 1,2009 and complete cleaning of the city under a phased programme.
He stated this during a briefing given to him by Punjab Horticulture Authority regarding beautification of Lahore and removal of billboards at Chief Minister's Secretariat, here on Wednesday.
Members Punjab Assembly Rana Iqbal, Mohsin Latif, Chairman Task Force on Horticulture, Mustafa Kamal, Commissioner Lahore Division, Director General Lahore Development Authority, Director General Parks and Horticulture Authority, Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency and Managing Director Solid Waste Management were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister said that a comprehensive strategy was being implemented for providing a healthy environment to the people as well as beautification of cities. He said that PHA after setting up different parks and green belts will sell them to sponsors and seed money of Rs 100 million had been provided to the authority for this purpose.
He directed that all development projects would be awarded to the best contractors and sponsors should install generators in these parks and green belts for saving energy. He said that special attention would be paid to the beautification of less developed areas.
Shahbaz said that Solid Waste Management had proved by its excellent performance on Eid-ul-Azha that the whole city can be made clean and garbage-free with hard work and commitment. He directed MD Solid Waste Management to evolve a comprehensive sanitation plan for all areas of Lahore especially Walled City and ensure their cleanliness under a phased programme.
He also directed to accelerate the pace of removal of encroachments for facilitating the people and smooth flow of traffic and such areas should be given priority in this regard where development projects are being implemented for ensuring their timely completion.
He said that a comprehensive plan should be evolved for the shifting of venders who were earning their living at the same place for years. He also directed to consult elected representatives and office-bearers of different trade organisations for reviewing business timings of markets for energy conservation.
Earlier, Chairman Task Force on Horticulture briefed the meeting about various measures taken under beautification plan of Lahore and said that 579 billboards have so far been removed whereas the remaining 21 billboards would be removed within next few days. MD Solid Waste Management informed the meeting that a complete sanitation programme for the city had been evolved and it would be launched from Shalimar Town.