Cleanliness campaign for urban hygiene from April 15

PESHAWAR: A meeting of the task force on Sunday reviewed progress on the development projects being executed in the provincial capital.An official handout said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah chaired the meeting.

The task force was formed on the directions of the chief minister to fast-track efforts for the transformation of the provincial capital.Provincial Minister for Higher Education Meena Khan Afridi, Member National Assembly Asif Khan, Chief Minister’s Focal Person Muhammad Asim Khan, secretary finance, commissioner Peshawar Division, deputy commissioner Peshawar, representatives from the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The task force will focus on improving sanitation, traffic management, beautification, and the execution of development projects in Peshawar.It will provide recommendations and assist the government in streamlining and coordinating efforts among departments.

The commissioner Peshawar will monitor field activities and regularly update the task force on progress, the handout added.The meeting was briefed on ongoing uplift projects, including the Hayatabad Trail project.The meeting was informed that 72 percent of work on jogging and cycling tracks had been completed.

The chief secretary emphasized the importance of sustainability planning for these projects after completion.The restructuring of the PDA to enhance its capacity was also discussed.

The director general PDA informed the meeting that work on a comprehensive beautification plan for Peshawar would commence this month.The meeting was briefed on the completion of the new bus terminal project, with weekly review meetings being held for monitoring.

The chief secretary reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to transforming Peshawar into a model city and directed the officials to ensure strict adherence to the tracking sheet system for the timely completion of projects. He directed PDA to develop an action plan outlining responsibilities clearly.

WSSP presented a briefing on sanitation, water supply, drainage, road sweeping, and waste collection in the city. The meeting was informed that action was being taken against illegal water connections and efforts were underway to modernize WSSP. A performance monitoring mechanism has been introduced for WSSP staff.

TMA performance was reviewed during the meeting.The chief secretary directed TMAs to formulate plans for sanitation and the optimal use of available resources.The task force approved a city-wide cleanliness week campaign starting from April 15, aimed at mobilizing departments and the community for improved urban hygiene and environmental care.