DERA GHAZI KHAN:The Suthra Punjab programme has reportedly fallen victim to mismanagement, corruption and negligence, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the initiative.

Reports suggest the contractor company has allegedly been mixing soil, stones, and construction debris with garbage to increase the weight of waste collected — a tactic used to claim inflated payments from the waste management company.

Sources revealed the presence of dozens of ghost employees who mark attendance and collect salaries without performing duties.

Sanitary workers, who have not received salaries for the past three months, staged a protest by locking the machinery store.

The protesting workers voiced their frustration, citing severe financial hardship and demanding the immediate release of their dues. Chief Executive Officer Rana Muhammad Shahid met with the workers and assured them that payments would be disbursed soon.

Sources also disclosed that despite receiving payments from the government for over six months, the contractor has failed to supply the necessary machinery as per the agreement and has not completed boundary walls around dumping sites.

As per reports, certain local monitoring officials may be colluding with the contractor, further undermining the goals of the programme.

In response to the growing crisis, Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan, Ashfaq Ahmad Chaudhry, has taken notice and sought an immediate report from the local government department.

Public and social circles have demanded urgent payment to workers, restoration of the waste collection system, a full audit of the contractor and strict action against corrupt officials.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2025