ISLAMABAD: In line with his promise in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s election manifesto, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday announced a countrywide cleanliness drive titled “Clean and Green Pakistan” aimed at provision of clean drinking water, clean environment, proper sanitation, a waste disposal system and construction of toilets at all public places in five years.

The prime minister will formally inaugurate the campaign on Oct 13 that will also envisage a massive “waste-to-energy” programme. “People from all walks of life should make the drive a successful endeavour,” the prime minister urged people while announcing the cleanliness drive at a ceremony. He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Federal Environment Minister Malik Amin Aslam and other cabinet members.

He said over 500,000 children died in the country every year due to poor sanitation and unhygienic living conditions.

Prime Minister Khan said neighbouring India also faced the same problems but it had overcome cleanliness issues over the past four years.

He revealed that the cleanliness programme, to be stretched over five years, would have three main components.

According to him, awareness will be created among people, especially children, about importance of sanitation and a lesson about it will be incorporated in school syllabus from Class I to V. Awareness will be created about dumping sites and the monster of loadshedding will be overcome by generating electricity from trash. Contests regarding sanitation will be conducted at the tehsil level after every two months and officials concerned would be rewarded or penalised on the basis of the state of cleanliness in their areas.

The prime minister stressed the need for availability of public toilets at all public places and tourism sites.

“One of the causes behind less tourism in Pakistan is that there are no public toilets,” he said, adding that this worried people when travelling to far and remote areas.

Through the initiative, public toilets will be built across the country.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Office will establish a complaint cell to receive public complaints and ensure their early redressal.

According to a senior official of the PMO, the prime minister will soon inaugurate the cell.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2018