Punjab pushes waste-to-energy plan to tackle pollution, boost green investment

Prepares green policy push to turn municipal waste into energy and usable products

The Punjab government is preparing a major policy push to convert waste into energy and commercially usable products as part of its expanding “Suthra Punjab” initiative, with officials considering incentives and land leases for private-sector green investment projects across the province.

Under the proposed framework, government land could be leased to private companies for waste-to-energy, biogas, and recycling projects aimed at reducing environmental pollution while generating renewable energy and revenue from municipal waste.

Officials say the policy was being developed to modernise Punjab’s waste management system and move away from traditional “collect and dump” practices that had long contributed to landfill overflow, methane emissions, and urban pollution.

Government sources said rules and conditions for leasing public land to environmentally sustainable projects were currently being finalised, while detailed regulatory guidelines were also under preparation.

The move came as the provincial government accelerated work on the “Waste to Value” phase of the Suthra Punjab program launched under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique recently said the project represented a critical step toward converting thousands of tons of collected waste into energy and reusable products through modern technology.

Speaking at a recent project review meeting, the minister confirmed that a pilot bio-CNG facility at Lahore’s Lakhodair landfill site had already started production. “Initially, 85 kilograms of CNG were being produced daily from waste, but the methane concentration target would be increased further,” he said.

Officials described the project as a self-sustaining circular economy model designed to reduce waste while generating renewable energy and economic returns.

The provincial government’s latest plans build on several pilot projects launched over the past year in Lahore and other urban centres.

Environmental experts say Punjab’s rapidly growing urban population and increasing waste generation have made sustainable waste management reforms increasingly urgent.

For now, officials said work on the regulatory framework and investment structure was continuing, while further pilot projects and public-private partnerships are expected to be announced in the coming months as Punjab pushes to position itself as a leader in climate-focused urban development and green infrastructure.