LWMC weighs options for sanitary system

Rain on garbage heaps aggravates sanitary conditions

LAHORE:

Amid worsening sanitary conditions caused by its failure to remove garbage from roadside spots before the recent rain, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has sought the provincial government’s approval for outsourcing the task or carrying it out itself on the long term.

The option of continuing the company’s own waste removal operation is likely to help save about Rs45 billion in the next seven years.

Meanwhile, many streets in the city are covered with filth as the rain has worsened the situation.

The LWMC is facing severe problems in transporting garbage to the dumping point due to lack of resources and machinery and complications caused by its differences with the former foreign contractors.

Despite taking over the city’s cleanliness operation five days back, the company could not complete the task.

Garbage piles are present in a number of areas and residents complained of stench and filth in the streets.

The LWMC is facing a shortage of more than 400 vehicles and about 600 containers. The company is also facing problems in accessing the waste dumping point.

In view of the situation, the Punjab government has given permission to the LWMC to hire vehicles immediately and bids have been invited from contractors for the purpose. The company hopes to overcome the problems in the next few days.

Sources said long-term outsourcing of cleaning and garbage collection in the city would cost Rs110 billion in seven years. If the company does the work itself, it is expected to cost about Rs65 billion, helping Dave about Rs45 billion.

Meanwhile, Lahore Commissioner Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghuman, Chief Officer Metropolitan Corporation Hafiz Shaukat Ali and Additional Commissioner Aman Anwar said while addressing a press conference that the Turkish contractors had refused to clean the city before the agreement expired last month, due to which garbage accumulated in the city and the LWMC took over the administrative affairs of the workshops for the convenience of the citizens.

The company’s workers worked in three shifts and cleared the backlog of more than 10 days. Later, the contractors filed a petition in a court seeking return of the machinery.

The LWMC ensured sanitation in the city by using its limited resources without using the machinery as ordered by the court.

Since January 1, the LWMC has taken up the task of providing affordable and standard service to citizens, the officials added. The city has been divided into nine zones for the operation.

They said additional machinery is required to ensure sanitation arrangements in the city. Urgent procurement of the machinery is being carried out as per PPRA rules.

Until a new contract is signed, the LWMC will ensure cleanliness arrangements through rented machinery for a transitional period of three to six months as approved by its Board of Directors.

An official said extension of the contract of international contractors for the period would cost Rs5 billion, while the work would be done by the LWMC through rental machinery in Rs2.65 billion. International contractors would charge Rs420 million for 40 days, while the LWMC would spend Rs150 million, the officials said.

“Citizens will not be disappointed in any way and better sanitation arrangements will be ensured,” an official said.

He added that a plan had been submitted to the provincial government to outsource the long-term cleaning and garbage collection operation of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2021.