Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has failed to ensure cleanliness and remove garbage from roads and neighbourhoods across the city.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, a trader from College Road, Muhammad Asif, complained that following the expiry of the contract with foreign companies, the LWMC had completely failed to maintain cleanliness in the city. “Heaps of garbage on every other turn can be witnessed on this main artery, owing to the negligence and incapability of the waste management company.”
Although the company had recently started to collect waste occasionally after hue and cry of the citizens, its overall performance was reportedly very poor. It had been working with foreign contractors for many years but it did not learn anything from their system and expertise.
Another citizen named Hashir Chaudhry highlighted that the LWMC officials were only collecting solid waste from posh neighbourhoods and main city roads. “It seems that citizens of only Gulberg, Shadman, Mall Road and other posh localities fall under the purview of the waste management company,” he added.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the LWMC said the company is striving hard to ensure the best possible cleanliness arrangements in the city during the transition period. “To provide the best cleanliness facilities to the citizens of Lahore, the LWMC has started the process for the hiring of contractors for primary and secondary collection of waste.”
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LWMC board of directors approved procurement of additional machinery on an urgent basis. In this regard, the LWMC started the bidding process as per the PPRA rules and published the advertisement in newspapers on March 4.
The company opened technical bids while financial bids will be opened on March 7.
As many as 13 companies had participated in the bidding process.
A total of five companies had participated for Ravi Town, two for Allah Iqbal Town, three for Nishtar Town, two for Samanabad, two for Shalimar, Gulberg, and Aziz Bhatti Town whereas eight companies had participated for Wagah Town.
Furthermore, the LWMC CEO called an urgent meeting of the procurement committee for the technical evaluation. He stated that a transparent method should be ensured during technical evaluation as well as in financial evaluation. “Financial bids of only of those companies will be opened that will qualify based on technical specifications.”
The spokesperson stated that the winning company shall deploy the additional machinery on March 8.
He further said that the department will ensure uniform and standard cleanliness arrangements in the city and new containers will be installed.
Citizens were also urged to cooperate with the department in maintaining cleanliness and to put waste in the bins.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2021.
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