LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to extend outsourcing of the solid waste management to all districts of the province.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday approved, in principle, an outsourcing plan of solid waste management services in every tehsil of the province.

Suthra Punjab App will also be launched in this regard and the CM will formally launch a door-to-door waste collection campaign in the province from Dec 3.

The meeting was apprised that outsourcing of solid waste management had been completed in 103 tehsils of Punjab while outsourcing process was going on expeditiously in additional 33 tehsils. Trackers will be installed on the vehicles deputed to monitor cleanliness and monitoring system will be established at the provincial, district and tehsil levels. A six-member monitoring committee will be constituted under the assistant commissioners in every tehsil.

The meeting was informed that more than Rs100,000 people would be provided with employment by outsourcing of solid waste management services and additional 87,000 employment opportunities would be generated with outsourcing of solid waste management. More than 21,000 cleaning machines and 83,000 cleaning equipment would be provided. Door to door waste collection will be carried out from 1.5m houses of Lahore.

The meeting was further apprised that cleanliness would be ensured in 500 markets and 400 villages of Lahore. Some 540 workers would be hired to ensure cleanliness measures in the provincial capital. As many as 10 loader rickshaws would be distributed in every union council of Lahore.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2024