Zero waste operation resumes in Lahore

Protests prevented authorities from collecting waste

LAHORE: The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) cancelled the Sunday holiday of its staff, including officers and workers, to complete the “zero waste operation” in the city.

LWMC Managing Director Farrukh Qayyum Butt, on the orders of the senior minister of local government, has given a 48-hour deadline for the completion of this operation. Butt indicated that he would personally monitor the operation in the city even though he has already assigned duties to senior management in all nine towns of the city.

He pointed out that the company’s zero waste operation was halted due to the uncertain law and order situation in the city. He highlighted the entire workforce and field machinery is deployed in the city to go the extra mile to clear the backlog of waste.

The LWMC lifts around 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes of solid waste from the city on a daily basis. However, the company was unable to clear this over the last three days due to the uncertain law and order situation. This caused a massive inconvenience for citizens who were faced with the accumulated heaps of waste.

LWMC MD visited multiple areas of the city to ensure proper implementation of the zero waste operation on Saturday. LWMC General Manager Operations Sohail Malik stated that the company’s teams were working with dedication after directions from the competent. “No officer or worker, found guilty of negligence, will be spared. Exceptional performances will be appreciated,” he maintained.

Senior Minister Punjab, Abdul Aleem Khan ordered immediate take steps to ensure cleanliness in all cities of Punjab. He further ordered that the waste be dumped at the landfill sites in 24 hours. In the wake of the improving law and order situation, Abdul Aleem Khan wanted all waste to be disposed of as early as possible in every area of Lahore city.

The senior minister gave directions to the managing director of the Solid Waste Management Company to ensure that the waste containers of each union are cleared. He suggested the formation of special teams to supervise cleanliness work. He added that due to special circumstances, there were hurdles in carrying waste management for two days and this resulted in a mess in different areas. However, not the situation has normalised and there should be no delay in waste collection activities.

Aleem also ordered that that apart from Lahore, special steps should be taken in other cities of Punjab and a report may be submitted to him after the needful is done.  Khan further said that waste management has become a chronic issue in different cities and special steps have been taken in Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan. He said collection work was initiated along modern lines. The first phase would see the acquisition of a landfill site being acquired in Gujranwala as well. He said that after this, steps would be taken in Faisalabad and Multan.

He also appealed the masses to cooperate in ensuring proper and timely cleanliness. He added it should be ensured that waste is disposed of in proper bags and fixed containers.

Khan also expressed his determination to ensure that special steps are taken in all the cities of Punjab over the coming days. He said civic institutions will also have to produce desired results for which only reports and official papers would not be sufficient. The senior minister alleged that the last government had plundered a big amount in the name of waste management over which complete an audit is being undertaken. He added strict action would be taken after the inquiry reports.