LAHORE, March 8: The city district government has selected the Gulberg (UC-97), Shadman (UC-98) and Ichhra (UC-108) for privatization of the solid waste collection on franchise basis.

The decision was taken at a meeting held at the district Nazim’s office with Executive District Officer (Revenue) Irfan Elahi in chair. SWM district officer Muhammad Rafiq Jatoi and representatives of the private sector companies interested in the franchise contracts attended the meeting.

The private sector entrepreneurs securing the contracts under the franchise plan will not be made any payments for the solid waste collection. They will be allowed to collect the prescribed sanitation fee from the union council jurisdiction for covering the cost of their service and will retain the savings as their profit.

The entrepreneurs will be required to make arrangements for collection of the solid waste from all the collection points in the union councils and transfer it to the Solid Waste Management for transportation to the dumping grounds. The SWM will formally invite the entrepreneurs interested in the franchise to approach it for the negotiations and signing of contracts next week.