LAHORE:Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq has said maintaining cleanliness is the real task rather than cleaning.
The minister was presiding over a meeting held at the Civil Secretariat here on Tuesday in which progress on Clean Punjab in Multan, DG Khan and Bahawalpur divisions was reviewed. He reiterated his resolve that government will spare no effort in providing quality sanitation services to the people of Punjab according to the chief minister’s vision.
Minister Zeeshan Rafiq expressed satisfaction that one-time cleaning has been completed in all areas as per the instructions of the provincial government. The provincial minister directed the CEOs to continuously monitor the garbage hotspots and not allow garbage to accumulate there again.
“For the first time, at least one landfill site is being built in every tehsil”, he remarked. He said that the local engineering industry is getting a huge boost due to the Suthra Punjab programme. “New employment opportunities have been created due to orders for machinery from contractors”, he noted. Zeeshan Rafiq directed that an awareness campaign about cleanliness should be conducted among the citizens. The minister said door-to-door collection garbage should start in the areas where the recruitment of manpower is complete.
“Construction of temporary collection points and provision of loader rickshaws is being ensured under the Suthra Punjab programme”, he added. He said performance of waste management companies is being reviewed across Punjab.
32 illegal commercial properties sealed
LDA teams conducted an operation against illegal commercial properties and fee defaulters and sealed 32 properties in various city areas here Tuesday. The operation was conducted in Allama Iqbal Town, Shadman, Shah Jamal, New Muslim Town and Shad Bagh. The properties sealed include private schools, beauty salons, auto workshops, technical institutes, private universities, state offices, grocery stores, food points, shops, offices and others. Several notices were given to these properties before the operation.
Meanwhile, LDA Vice Chairman Mian Marghub Ahmed and DG Tahir Farooq visited Ferozepur Road, Gajjumta and LDA City. They reviewed the ongoing work on the main sewerage line at Ferozepur Gajjumta. They were informed in the briefing that work is under way on two disposals on Ferozepur Road, 70 percent of the project has been completed.
They also visited Gulberg Scheme and Tollinton Market and reviewed the development works. LDA Vice Chairman said that development works will also be started soon in other blocks of Gulberg Scheme. LDA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed and Project Director while giving a briefing said that Wasa is laying a sewerage line on Main Ferozepur Road, a better system of rainwater drainage will be made. The streets of Nishtar and Salman Park will be updated under a sustainable model. It was informed in the briefing that water supply lines were laid in the streets of Salman Park, the work of sewerage lines would be started soon.