LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has announced starting a vigorous anti-dengue campaign, adding that Rs90 would be charged for dengue tests across the province.
While presiding over a meeting at his office on Thursday, the CM asked the health department to ensure the conduction of tests at a fixed rate. Similarly, line departments should remain vigilant and anti-dengue committees should be reanimated at union council, tehsil, district and division levels.
“Meetings of these committees should be held at the earliest while ensuring strict implementation of SOPs,” he said and reiterated that a zero-tolerance policy would be followed in this regard.
“No negligence would be tolerated and all departments would have to show results before monsoon,” he added. The CM further directed to devise an effective surveillance system and anti-dengue teams should be reactivated along with arranging timely arrangements of quality spray and pesticides. “The line departments should ensure implementing the devised plan as their performance will be daily monitored,” he further said. MPAs Kh Salman Rafique, Kh Imran Nazir, health secretary, Dr Wasim and others attended the meeting. Also, the Chief Minister chaired a meeting of the transport department at his office which reviewed the proposal of providing a free travelling facility to students on orange line metro trains and the start of feeder buses. The CM directed to early submit comprehensive proposals and added that the Punjab Masstransit Authority board should be completed soon. He also directed to immediately restart the speedo bus service on the Bahawalpur-Lodhran route to provide a comfortable travelling facility to the commuters. He also directed to restore the dysfunctional metro bus stations in Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad adding that non-functional accelerators should also be operationalised without delay. The washrooms should be neat and clean along with functional lights as I would soon make surprise visits to the orange line metro train and metro bus project, he announced. The Punjab Masstransit Authority should submit a report about the overall situation of metro bus stations after necessary repair and maintenance; the CM said and emphasized that steps should be taken to increase the number of passengers at orange line metro train as these facilities are a great boon for the common man.
Kh. Ahmad Hasaan, Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Imran Goraya, transport secretary and others attended the meetings.