Waste management: Turkish firm launches operations in PP-6

Interior minister says operations will soon be extended to all Rawalpindi tehsils.

RAWALPINDI: Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday inaugurated the start of waste collection work by a Turkish waste management company in the PP-6 constituency of Rawalpindi. 

The ceremony was held at Gulzar-e-Quaid.

The project, worth Rs8.14 billion, involves waste collection and transportation, and mechanical sweeping of the roads. Turkish company Albayrak has taken over responsibility for waste collection and disposal in Rawalpindi and Murree cities. Nisar said the project will be extended to Gujar Khan, Taxila, Kallar Sayedan, Kahuta and Kotli Sattian tehsils in the coming months.

He said the government was aware of public issues and was making efforts to address them. He said criticising the government was easier than to deliver in the face of huge challenges which have piled up over the years.

Nisar also urged provincial governments to transfer the benefit of cuts in oil prices to the public through reduced transportation prices and fares. He said the country had a surplus of electricity when the PML-N government was removed in 1999.

The interior minister said that although there were traffic problems due to construction work on the metro bus project, once completed, it will be beneficial for all.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2015.