LAHORE - Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq has said that with the launch of the new sanitation system, a beautiful face of Punjab will be developed to help improve quality of life. In the first phase, the best sanitation services will be provided to 80.6 million population of the province, he added. He was addressing a video link meeting of CEOs of waste management companies at the Civil Secretariat here on Thursday. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul and CEO LWMC Babar Sahib Din were also present.During the meeting, the outsourcing of solid waste management and the future strategy under ‘Suthra Punjab’ programme of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz were reviewed. Minister Zeeshan Rafiq said that the selection of contractors in 103 tehsils had been completed in the first phase. “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 will be outsourced in the next phase”, he said. Zeeshan Rafiq added that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz would inaugurate this unique cleaning programme on Dec 3. The minister directed the CEOs to conduct cleanliness awareness campaign and complete one-time zero waste in every tehsil without delay, adding that the private contractors will 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 said. Zeeshan Rafique said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s vision of “Suthra Punjab” was implemented
in a short period of time. “The commissioners and deputy commissioners have worked hard but we should not let this spirit fade”, he maintained.
Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian said that the provincial control room would monitor all the processes of outsourcing. The availability of required human resource and machinery will be ensured.
