While a briefing at the CM Secretariat explained the workflow of the private company taking over municipal services, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak hinted at plans to further outsource such responsibilities.
A statement issued on Sunday said Khattak chaired the meeting where solid waste disposal and garbage-to-energy plans under the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) were discussed. The WSSP was handed over reins to the city’s water and sanitation system on Friday.
The CM directed the company to improve the monitoring system while telling the WSSP that it will face no interference in its matters. Khattak expressed confidence the WSSP will achieve the goal of satisfying the dwellers of Peshawar.
Instead of outsourcing all services to a single company, Khattak said it would make more sense to segregate solid waste and garbage disposal, sewerage, sanitation, water supply, street lights and other sectors and hand them to “various expert companies”. He added targets can only be achieved by the private sector when government departments are strong.
The best laid plans
According to the handout, solid waste from the five canals passing through Peshawar will be extracted.
A comprehensive process of sewerage and sanitation will begin in the union councils falling between GT Road, Ring Road and Charsadda Road, it read.
WSSP CEO Naeem, briefing the participants, said a specific SMS code will be introduced so people will be able to report municipal problems and identify specific areas that require attention via text message.
The shortage of potable water in the city will also be looked into on a priority basis. In future, the handout added, citizens will receive access to purified water tested for quality control.
Naeem revealed garbage and solid waste will be purchased from municipal workers and drivers at a fixed rate to help cover the cost of fuel and vehicle repairs; the more they work the more they earn. The WSSP CEO said no employees would be rendered jobless under the new autonomous body. They will be given more attractive incentives and salary packages, he was quoted saying by the handout.
The head of the Lahore Urban Unit Dr Nasir who was also present at the meeting said the new system of municipal services in Peshawar was much better than the one operating in Lahore. He hoped the model adopted in Peshawar would be followed in other provinces as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2014.
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At the end of the day it will be PTI's performance in kpk that will matter.