Minister orders monitoring of outsourcing sanitation process

LAHORE : Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq and Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman have issued instructions to the commissioners and deputy commissioners for effective monitoring of the outsourcing model of sanitation services in eight divisions including Lahore.

These instructions were issued during a video link meeting of commissioners and deputy commissioners held at the Civil Secretariat. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian was also present on the occasion.

Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq said that under the Suthra Punjab programme uniform cleaning services in cities and villages will become operational this month. He said that outsourcing process has been completed in 90 tehsils under the supervision of waste management companies to implement the vision of the chief minister, while this model will become operational in the remaining 25 tehsils this month.

Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman directed the commissioners and deputy commissioners to achieve the goal of zero-waste everywhere before the formal launch of the outsourcing programme. ‘Old piles of waste must be cleaned once’, he added. He further said that an effective mechanism for monitoring the contractors should be devised. ‘A special app has also been developed by Punjab Information Technology Board in this regard’, said the CS. The chief secretary emphasised that more attention needs to be paid to the outsourcing model in villages. ‘For this, the trust of the public representatives should be gained’, he directed.

Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian said that 18 and a half million houses in cities and villages were included under the outsourcing programme. ‘Waste enclosures or at least containers will be provided in every village’, he vowed. Shakeel Ahmad Mian added that one-time zero waste was being ensured on the direction of the Local Government minister, after which, the contractors will be responsible for maintaining this cleanliness onward.