PESHAWAR: The Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) has set up a model street in Yakatoot Union Council to improve sanitation and the initiative has drawn appreciation.
Aim of the “Model Street” is to ensure mass participation in sanitation operation and cleanliness of the city.
The model street idea along with the awareness campaign is being carried out under a UNICEF-funded sanitation project.
The Qazi Noor Street is cleaned by WSSP and residents jointly where pots of colourful flowers have been placed to encourage residents of other streets to follow in the footsteps of the residents of the street. A team of community development officers carried out an awareness campaign to sensitize residents of Yakatoot locality on the importance of sanitation.
Small waste bins have been placed in the street outside houses to promote locals to throw waste in them. “We believe that keeping the city clean round the clock is impossible without masses’ participation,” said Hassan Ali, spokesperson for WSSP.
He said that the masses were the biggest stakeholders who can play a major role in sanitation process and engaging them would make a huge difference. The WSSP spokesperson said residents were requested to place waste, packed in biodegradable plastic bags, outside their houses once a day so that it could easily be collected.
“It will save time and energy and help all of us to keep our city clean,” he said, adding that WSSP has planned to make model streets in all union councils under its administrative jurisdiction.
The official said waste containers of different sizes would be placed in streets where people would be urged to dump waste instead of throwing it in drains or streets. He believed that the technique would create a sense of ownership and responsibility among the people.
