RAWALPINDI, March 23: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has purchased 10 mini-dumpers and recruited 70 sanitary workers to improve its sanitation services, official sources told Dawn.

An amount of Rs0.9 million has been spent on the purchase of the new mini-dumpers. Four of these vehicles will be given to the Chaklala cantonment while the remaining six will remain with the RCB, the sources said.

Out of the total 70 sanitary workers, 20 sweepers and four drivers would be provided to the new Chaklala cantonment whereas the remaining 40 workers and six drivers would be with the RCB.

These measures have been taken to improve the cleanliness services of the civic bodies which the residents had been complaining about.

The residents had complained about the poor sanitary arrangements of the cantonment board. They had also accused the cantonment authorities of keeping only the posh localities clean and ignoring the other areas.

Imposition of conservancy charges (cleanliness charges) by the civic body had also invited criticism from the people. Majority of them had even challenged the move and refused to pay more taxes.

In a bid to justify its new tax, the cantonment authorities took the above-mentioned steps to improve its sanitation services.

The 10 mini-dumpers will be deployed in the over-populated areas and in congested localities where the heavy vehicles of the cantonment board cannot enter to collect garbage.

Such areas include Tench Bhatta, Dhoke Syedan, Dhoke Gujjaran, Allama Iqbal Colony, Afshan Colony, PIA Colony, Shehzad Colony, Aliabad, Allahabad, Siham Banni, Misrial Road and some areas of Peshawar Road.

The RCB chief executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, said new vehicles had been purchased and staff recruited to improve the standard of cleanliness. He said people should now pay their conservancy charges.

“We have fulfilled the promise made with the residents and they should now respond positively,” he said. He said the vehicles and the new personnel would also be deployed in the slum areas.