LWMC struggles to keep the city clean

Reportedly, waste management company only started mechanical sweeping of selected roads

LAHORE: The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has stopped the washing of around 900-kilometre-long roads of the provincial capital.

Reportedly, the waste management company has only started mechanical sweeping of selected roads and roads outside historical buildings. Due to this issue, citizens are facing problems caused by the spread of dust and dirt on the rest of the city’s roads.

As per details obtained by The Express Tribune, the waste management company has given the contract, of cleaning work of the city to Albayrak and Ozpak, which will expire by the end of January and in February, respectively.

In the provincial capital, Ozpak has conducted washing and mechanical sweeping around 500 square metre of roads, while Albayrak has conducted the washing and mechanical sweeping of about 400-kilometres of roads. Reportedly, both companies received payments in dollar amounts.

Annually, millions of rupees are spent on washing and mechanical sweeping of the roads. The time is close for the expiration of the contract with these companies and LWMC has begun to take over the work from Albayrak and Ozpak in phases.

Initially, the road washing and mechanical sweeping tasks have been taken from these companies due to which the waste management company has stopped the washing work of the 900-km-long roads. Only roads around historical buildings and important roads are being washed with machines.

LWMC General Manager Operations Sohail Anwar Malik said that the mechanical sweeping work had been taken from private companies.  He added that now the waste management company has taken up the task of mechanical sweeping of vehicles, historical buildings and important roads.

The payment which was being made in dollars is now spent on our employees and machinery, which will reduce the burden on national treasury, he maintained.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2020.