Rural waste target scaled down

DCs ordered to ensure door-to-door collection from 70% homes

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has directed the deputy commissioners across the province to take measures to improve the cleanliness and waste management system.

The Suthra Punjab Authority issued instructions to the DCs to assess the machinery and manpower needed to improve the sanitation services and also submit detailed information about available resources in their districts.

The officials were directed that door-to-door waste collection must cover at least 70 per cent households in rural areas along with cleaning on every alternate day.

The instructions called for greater engagement between district administrations and sanitation workers.

The DCs and assistant commissioners were told to meet the workers directly, ensure timely payment of salaries and facilitate their access to the ration card scheme.

The authority also ordered the training of field monitoring officers and setting of clear performance targets to assess their effectiveness.

Physical verification of machinery, vehicles and manpower has been made mandatory in all districts.

The officials have also been directed to repair and restore all machinery and vehicles returned after the termination of outsourcing arrangements.

The directives also focused on improving temporary waste collection points through repairs, regular cleaning and upkeep. The DCs were told to ensure that the dustbins and waste containers were cleaned and painted regularly.

Fines and other actions have been ordered against owners of vacant plots where waste is dumped and accumulated.

The authority also directed the district administrations to prepare separate standard operating procedures for vegetable and other markets and commercial areas to improve waste collection and sanitation.

Regular washing of roads will be made an essential part of daily cleanliness operations.

The number of small dustbins in streets and neighbourhoods is also to be increased to improve waste disposal facilities at the local level.

A meeting to review progress on the directives has been ordered within a week.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken strict notice of alleged financial irregularities in the Khanewal beautification plan and ordered the inclusion of a former deputy commissioner in the investigation over advance payments made to the contractor. The chief minister ordered the immediate arrest of the contractor and recovery of the amount. The contractor of the beautification project of Akbar Bazaar had allegedly fled after receiving advance payment. The project also faced delays in completion.