Rs5b allocated for two modern landfill sites
An excavator digs a passage so pipes to be laid for Gilgit's sewerage and sanitation project. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) has initiated the preparation of feasibility studies and PC-1 documents for the establishment of landfill sites and material recovery facilities in Faisalabad and Gujranwala.
The Punjab government has allocated Rs4.5 billion for the project in Faisalabad and Rs500 million in Gujranwala in the 2024-25 annual development programme.
PMFDC Managing Director Zahid Aziz revealed that the Punjab government has reserved and transferred state land to the solid waste management companies for the prompt setting up of the landfill sites.
He emphasised that traditional methods of waste disposal are outdated, and modern practices focus on landfill sites for sustainable waste management.
Landfill sites are designated areas for waste disposal.
While the practice of systematic burial of waste with daily covers began in 1940, earlier methods involved simply piling refuse or discarding it into pits.
The modern approach, aligned with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) signed by 192 countries in 2015, prioritises scientific waste disposal methods.
The SDG 6, focusing on sanitation and climate change, underscores the need for advanced waste management and budget allocation in annual development programmes.
Zahid Aziz praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for initiating the allocation of resources for landfill sites.
Previously, the Punjab government had established landfill sites at Lakhoo Der and Mahmood Booti in Lahore under the supervision of the Lahore Waste Management Company.