Pindi clears dumping sites in 1,100 villages
Local communities, local govt involved in the programme to grant them greater responsibility
Local communities, local govt involved in the programme to grant them greater responsibility. PHOTO: FILE
RAWALPINDI:
In a bid to centralise the garbage dumps in various cities of the Punjab and to improve the health condition, the government has cleared as many as 3,454 dumping sites of Rawalpindi District.
The sites were cleared in 1,100 villages of the district under the first phase of the ‘Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Dehat Programme’, said Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Talat Mehmood Gondal.
He said the cleanliness system in the rural areas of the district were being improved under the programme, which had been launched on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He added that this was the first programme of its kind in the history of the country which would provide a clean atmosphere to people living in the rural areas of the district and would help keep them safe from diseases.
Apart from offering them a better environment, Gondal said that local communities will also be involved in the programme so as to make them realise that sanitation was mandatory — not only as a part of their faith but also for leading a comfortable and healthy life.
He added that the participation of the community and association of local government organisations was key to the success of the campaign.
Moreover, he said that the respective assistant commissioners have been nominated as the focal people for the programme who will work in close coordination with union council chairmen and secretaries.
He explained that under the second phase of this programme — which is expected to begin next month — the government has not only increased the budget for the programme but would also provide the necessary machinery for clearing out the trash.
Gondal added that the programme was granting further power to the local government representatives since the UC chairmen were allowed to use any remaining funds for cleanliness after paying salaries. He directed the ACs to record and update the accounts and finances of the programme on the prescribed pro forma so that the transparency and quality of the programme could be ensured.
Gondal further explained that the programme would demonstrate that only the urban areas are not on the government’s radar and that they were working to alleviate the situation in the rural areas as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2017.
In a bid to centralise the garbage dumps in various cities of the Punjab and to improve the health condition, the government has cleared as many as 3,454 dumping sites of Rawalpindi District.
The sites were cleared in 1,100 villages of the district under the first phase of the ‘Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Dehat Programme’, said Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Talat Mehmood Gondal.
He said the cleanliness system in the rural areas of the district were being improved under the programme, which had been launched on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He added that this was the first programme of its kind in the history of the country which would provide a clean atmosphere to people living in the rural areas of the district and would help keep them safe from diseases.
Apart from offering them a better environment, Gondal said that local communities will also be involved in the programme so as to make them realise that sanitation was mandatory — not only as a part of their faith but also for leading a comfortable and healthy life.
He added that the participation of the community and association of local government organisations was key to the success of the campaign.
Moreover, he said that the respective assistant commissioners have been nominated as the focal people for the programme who will work in close coordination with union council chairmen and secretaries.
He explained that under the second phase of this programme — which is expected to begin next month — the government has not only increased the budget for the programme but would also provide the necessary machinery for clearing out the trash.
Gondal added that the programme was granting further power to the local government representatives since the UC chairmen were allowed to use any remaining funds for cleanliness after paying salaries. He directed the ACs to record and update the accounts and finances of the programme on the prescribed pro forma so that the transparency and quality of the programme could be ensured.
Gondal further explained that the programme would demonstrate that only the urban areas are not on the government’s radar and that they were working to alleviate the situation in the rural areas as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2017.