LAHORE: Delays in lifting solid waste from city areas and temporary collection points have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Suthra Punjab (Clean Punjab) drive, launched on the chief minister’s orders across the province.

Despite directives for waste to be cleared before 1pm, teams have failed to do so, forcing residents to endure the stench and pollution daily.

“No one comes here regularly to lift the heaps of waste and ensure cleanliness,” lamented a resident of Gulberg, living near a well-known hotel on Gurumangat Road.

“It has become routine now, and no one bothers despite complaints,” he added, criticising the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) field teams and management.

The government initiated the Suthra Punjab programme in December to ensure cleanliness in urban, semi-urban, rural, and industrial areas. The initiative aims to involve the public, making them stakeholders in keeping streets, roads, intersections, open spaces, parks, and commercial areas clean. The programme also seeks to equip all tehsils and districts with the necessary resources to handle waste professionally, following the model of developed cities.

However, many areas in Lahore continue to struggle with waste disposal.

“The LWMC management must come out and see what is actually happening in the field,” urged a Mughalpura resident.

On the other hand, the LWMC claims to have intensified cleaning operations in various city areas, including mosques, commercial centres, and iftar dastarkhwans.

According to a press release, over 100 LWMC workers have been stationed at 16 Ramazan Sahulat Bazars and low-price sugar centres in morning and evening shifts. The company has also deployed teams to wash and maintain mosques in all nine towns, including Ravi Town, Shalimar Town, Aziz Bhatti Town, Gulberg Town, DGBT, Samanabad Town, Allama Iqbal Town, Nishtar Town and Wagah Town.

Special teams have been assigned to ensure cleanliness around Namaz-e-Taraweh gatherings, with additional measures such as street cleaning and water spraying.

“We have directed officials to address solid waste complaints within 30 minutes,” said an LWMC spokesperson, urging citizens to report issues via helpline 1139 or social media.

LWMC Managing Director Babar Sahib Din said that a deep-cleaning operation had been launched, with loader rickshaws added to the fleet. “We have two shifts—one operating till 2pm and the second working until night,” he explained.

Addressing delays in waste collection, he attributed the issue to pending rickshaw manufacturing but assured that complaints would be rechecked to improve cleanliness.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2025