Road-washing drive to combat smog
A man rides a donkey-drawn cart supplying steel rods on a smoggy morning in Lahore, Pakistan November 10, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS
The district administration launched a road-washing drive as part of an anti-smog campaign in Rawalpindi to combat smog.
The drive was formally launched by Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) on Tuesday with the washing of the famous Sixth Road in Rawalpindi City. The drive aims to wash all major roads of the city with the help of mechanical washers, mechanical sweepers, and tractor-pulled sweeper machines.
Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha has said the drive aims to eliminate smog in the city. He added that along with the washing of the road, about 10,000 big diesel vehicles were fined for emitting smoke. No vehicle would be able to travel on the road without the Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS) non-objection certificate.
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He urged the citizens to support the effort of RWMC by refraining from burning garbage, spraying water to remove dust, and timely repairing their smoke-emitting vehicles.
Rawalpindi Waste Management Company and several other organisations are actively working in the field to eliminate smog. Therefore, citizens should also contribute their part by ensuring cleanliness in their surroundings, he added.
He further said for complaints related to sanitation, citizens can use the helpline number 1139 or file their complaint at the Clean Rawalpindi app and social media accounts of RWMC.
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He expressed these views on his visit and inspection of the road-washing drive on Sixth Road along with the RWMC Chairman Saqib Rafiq and CEO Rana Sajid. He said in compliance with the orders by the Punjab government, RWMC was actively working to clean the city and spread awareness among the citizens. He added that an anti-smog awareness camp was also set up on Sixth Road.
During the visit, Saqib Rafiq stated that on the orders of the Chief Secretary Punjab and under the instructions of the Rawalpindi commissioner, a road-washing drive had begun with the aim to eliminate smog from the city.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2023.