LAHORE, May 31: A week-long cleanliness and awareness drive focusing on schoolchildren of Yohanabad concluded on Thursday.

The drive was part of the ongoing Zero Waste Campaign launched by the Lahore Waste Management Company.

The Punjab University’s Youth Environmental Society and Caritas Pakistan’s Lahore chapter joined hands with the LWMC to create awareness about safe treatment and disposal of waste among students of Ibne Basharat-i-Maryam School, Saint John’s Boys High School, Saint Dominics High School, Saint Francis Xavier High School, Community Education School, Darul Hikmat and Dean Public High School in Union Council 142 of Yohanabad.

During the cleanup operation, the LWMC cleared five plots of waste and also held community meetings in order to make the residents conscious of the cleanliness of their area.

Some 32 tons of waste was removed from the area to make it waste-free. From May 24 to May 31, waste bags were also distributed among households to enable the residents to collect waste in these bags and place them outside their houses from where the LWMC staff would pick them up at a given time.

PU’s Youth Environmental Society President Yasir and vice-president Ayesha gave presentations in schools about preserving water and energy and 3Rs -- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

They also explained to the students the harms being caused to the environment due to community’s negligence.

Action committees with school students as representatives were also constituted for the proper utilisation of resources like electricity, gas and water.

A special committee was formed to oversee waste management habits of students in order to reduce waste and for its proper disposal.