PSPC to merge into Aab-e-Pak Authority

PHUD dept submits proposal to CM for appointment of new board of directors

LAHORE: In order to formally shut down the Punjab Saaf Pani Company (PSPC) after merging its north and south wings and transferring its assets to newly-formed Aab-e-Pak Authority, the Punjab Housing and Urban Development (PHUD) department has submitted a proposal to the Punjab chief minister to appoint new board of directors, which will give final approval for closure of the PSPC and transfer of its assets to newly constituted authority.

The PHUD department has proposed a list of members for the PSPC boards of directors and sought its approval from the chief minister besides legal opinion from the provincial law department for formal closure of the PSPC.

To provide clean drinking water to citizens of the province, former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had established the PSPC, but it badly failed to perform due to rampant corruption in tendering and contract award process. After coming into power, the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced to form a new authority for the provision of clean drinking water to all citizens of Punjab.

The government has already allocated Rs8 billion resources for this purpose in the current fiscal year budget.

In a meeting held on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said clean water is the basic right of every citizen. The PTI government will leave no stone unturned for provision of clean drinking water to citizens, he underlined. The new Aab-e-Pak Authority will ensure that clean drinking water will be available to all citizens, he added. “We will have to move ahead by learning a lesson from past mistakes.

By performing matters according to rules and regulations and in a transparent manner, provision of clean water is to be ensured to all citizens.” The chief minister also announced that the government will make Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) an independent authority and grant it full administrative and financial autonomy to improve water supply and sanitation conditions in urban areas. Earlier, WASAs are functions as subsidiaries of city development authorities, like LDA, RDA, FDA, etc.

Buzdar said that a mega programme is going to be launched in order to improve sewerage system in Lahore. Programme for bringing improvement in sewerage system through tunnel boring will cost Rs14 billion. During the briefing, he was also informed that the office of Aab Pak Authority will not be set up in a rented building, but in some official building.

The meeting also reviewed performance of PHUD department. Buzdar said the PHUD will be harmonised with modern requirements because this department’s role is pivotal with regard to providing better facilities in the cities. The department will have to focus on modern urban planning and development.

The meeting also reviewed matters of commercialisation in residential areas. The chief minister directed officials concerned to submit recommendations in this regard and ordered formation of a committee to review DC rates of property.

The committee will submit its final recommendations within 15 days, under the supervision of the provincial finance minister.

The PHUD secretary gave a detailed briefing to the chief minister regarding performance of the department and providing better civic facilities to citizens.

Provincial Minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Advisor to Chief Minister Dr Salman Shah, Chief Secretary, Member National Assembly Khuram Shehzad, Principal Secretary to CM, Head of Special Monitoring Unit, concerned secretaries and other high officials also attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2019.