PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Thursday directed the home and tribal affairs department to initiate the Safe City Project in Peshawar.

He also asked the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar management to ensure the best possible sanitation and hygienic conditions in the city besides smooth water supply.

The directives were issued during a WSSP briefing for local MPAs at the CM Secretariat, said a handout issued here. The Rs500 million Safe City Project is meant to make the Hayatabad Township secure.

The handout said the authorities would look into installation of CCTV cameras in the entire city.

Khattak announces WSSP-like public sector companies for all divisional headquarters

The chief minister said WSSP should prove its worth before local body polls.

“The first test in this regard will be guaranteeing waste removal of sacrificial animals during Eidul Azha,” he said.

Khattak also announced the establishment of public sector companies like WSSP in all divisional headquarters in the province.

On the occasion, WSSP chief executive Mohammad Naeem Khan said the new organisation for municipal services was not an authority and instead, it was a public sector company.

He said WSSP, a corporate company, would ensure cleanliness, drainage, drinking water and seasonal insecticide spray.

Naeem Khan said the Peshawar Municipal Corporation, Peshawar Development Authority and University Town Committee had transferred the relevant employees, assets and powers to the company.

He said after formally assuming its responsibilities, the company had begun the provision of municipal services, which would improve gradually.

“The company will not only increase the salaries, incentives and training facilities of the existing employees, but will also recruit more trained workers.

The WSSP chief executive said in the next few weeks, 42 new administrative officers would assume their duties, while for the decision making and development affairs, a 15-member autonomous board of directors had been nominated.

He said besides company headquarters and two zonal offices, complaint cells would also be opened at headquarters and zonal level, which would be advertised in the next few days.

Naeem Khan said the company would take emergency measures for cleanliness on the occasion of Eidul Azha, carry out public awareness campaign, conduct fumigation against mosquitoes and insects, abolish encroachments near drains, identify suitable spots for garbage and solid waste, improve water schemes, guarantee better quality of water, doing away with all underground pipelines before installation new ones, and repair drainages along modern lines.

The chief minister ordered the early completion of the beautification of flyovers, expansion, plantation and green belts on both sides of GT Road.

He and MPAs assured the WSSP of full cooperation in the execution of its plans.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2014