Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday ordered the adoption of modern Japanese technology and methodology in managing sewage and waste treatment in the province.

Pakistan generates millions of tonnes of solid waste annually, but only a small fraction of sewage is treated. Inadequate sanitation in urban areas leads to recurring floods, waterborne illnesses and the resurgence of preventable diseases such as cholera, dengue and polio.

The chief minister is currently on a five-day visit to Japan. A statement from her office said CM Maryam issued the order during a visit to Japan’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Yokohama today.

“Japan’s modern technology and methods will be used for sewage and waste management in Punjab,” the statement quoted her as saying.

The statement added that she inspected the waste treatment systems of Asahi, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Washimaku and Yodogawa.

According to the statement, the chief minister was given a detailed briefing on methods of collecting garbage and wastewater, along with waste disposal systems of Japanese cities.

She was apprised by the authorities that Yokohama was “the second largest city in Japan in terms of population” and that its Solid Waste and Wastewater Treatment Plant treated 1.5 million litres of wastewater daily.

“Yokohama Waste Treatment Plant is also operating several plants that generate energy from waste. This energy is used for heating systems for the local population,” the statement cited the Japanese authorities as saying, adding that the plant was an “ideal institution for disposal of waste using modern technology and methods”.

“Despite being an industrial city, Yokohama is at the top of [the] highest environmental standards,” they said.

The chief minister was told that waste was separated into reusable components through a “modern plant and automated system”.

She said that this environmental and urban development model would be implemented in Punjab.

The chief minister also attended a briefing on urban development at Yokohama’s Town Hall, where she participated in a discussion on bringing the construction quality of roads and buildings in Punjab “to the level of Japan”.

“City-to-city” cooperation was also agreed on in various sectors between Yokohama and the province of Punjab, according to posts by the PML-N.

Under her leadership, Punjab has emerged as a frontrunner in environmental governance. The province recently launched Pakistan’s first Environmental Protection Force, implemented a ban on single-use plastics and equipped over 1,500 construction sites with dust suppression systems in Lahore.