PESHAWAR: In order to ensure timely disposal of animal waste in the capital city on Eidul Azha, the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar has announced a contingency plan involving 1,898 employees.

During the ‘Meet the Press’ programme of the Khyber Union of Journalists at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, WSSP chief executive officer Engineer Khan Zeb Khan said the company owned around 230 vehicles but it would hire 75 additional goods vehicles to ensure cleanliness in different localities of the capital on Eid.

He said a three-day campaign would be carried out to keep Peshawar clean on Eid but its success would depend on the people’s cooperation.

Says contingency plan involving 1,898 staff members in place

Accompanied by heads of different departments of water, sanitation and services Peshawar, the WSSP chief said people should throw waste of sacrificial animals at designated spots and trash receptacles placed along roads so that sanitation workers could easily collect it for proper disposal.

He said banners and placards would be displayed at prominent places carrying telephone numbers of control rooms set up in all four zones to help the people dispose of offal.

Mr. Khan Zeb said cooperation would also be sought from civil society organisations, prayer leaders and volunteers for the purpose.

About the WSSP’s future plans, he said garbage would be used for power generation and that solid waste would be disposed of along scientific lines in Maryamzai area on the outskirts of Peshawar.

The WSSP chief said the company would restore sewerage treatment plant with the financial support of the US financial assistance, while drinking water would be arranged under a greater water supply scheme from Munda, Jabba and Bara dams by gradually replacing the obsolete pipelines.

He said the WSSP had also planned to ensure round-the-clock supply of drinking water from overhead water reservoir by initiating pilot projects on the basis of different zones to address the people’s complaints on permanent basis.

Regarding the existing water supply situation, Mr. Khan Zeb said all water connections would be regularised by enrolling consumers until Sept 15, 2016, to increase the company’s revenue and get public support to control misuse of clean water.

“All those failing to pay fee for regularisation of connections will face the government’s action and that water supply will be disconnected without issuance of further notices to them,” he said.

The WSSP chief said the company was established in 2014 to ensure cleanliness, better sanitation and supply of clean drinking water in Peshawar but it still lacked employees, especially trained ones, to completely do the task.

“We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Peshawar Engineering University to help build the capacity of our employees. We will provide internship facility to the university’s students,” he said.

Mr. Khan Zeb also spoke about the WSSP schemes completed recently, including replacement of faulty power meters, functionalising of tube wells, replacement of water and sanitation pipelines, installation of chlorinators, repair of waste loaders, restoration of filtration plants, chemical sweeping of roads, and disposal of tons of solid waste.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2016