LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq has said that the new sanitation system will develop Punjab's beautiful face and help improve the quality of life. In the first phase, the best sanitation services will be provided to the 80.6 million population of the province.

He addressed a video link meeting with the CEOs of the waste management companies on Thursday. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul, and LWMC CEO Babar Sahib Din were also present. During the meeting, the outsourcing of solid waste management and the future strategy under the “Suthra Punjab programme” were reviewed in detail.

The minister further said that the selection of contractors in 103 tehsils has been completed in the first phase, and all preparations under the management of Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan and Faisalabad Waste Management Companies have been completed. “Sargodha and Sahiwal Waste Management Companies would be outsourced in the next phase,” he added.

Rafiq added that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz would inaugurate this unique cleaning programme on December 3.

He directed the CEOs to conduct a cleanliness awareness campaign and complete one-time zero waste in every tehsil without delay, adding that the private contractors would gradually improve their efficiency and services. The local government department would train the technical staff of contractors to ensure timely redressal of complaints to be lodged on the dashboard and Suthra Punjab app, he added.

On this occasion, the secretary said that the provincial control room would monitor all the processes of outsourcing. The availability of required human resources and machinery would be ensured, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024