LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has assigned a 15-day task to ensure a 100 percent improvement in cleanliness across the province. The directive aims to address the unsatisfactory performance of solid waste management companies, while also introducing a shift to self-operation in key cities.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the performance of the Suthra Punjab programme was reviewed during a special meeting chaired by the Chief Minister. The session considered the discontinuation of solid waste management companies due to their lackluster performance and decided on a transition to self-management in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan.

The Chief Minister expressed concern over the presence of dust and dirt on provincial roads and ordered the daily washing of main roads. Authorities were instructed to enforce fines for littering post-cleaning operations and to take measures against individuals discarding garbage in various markets.

Furthermore, targets were set to ensure sufficient human resources and machinery in every district. Villages are to be cleaned on alternate days, with Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners holding weekly meetings with Field Monitoring Officers to assess performance using Key Performance Indicators.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif also emphasized the importance of timely salary payments to sanitation workers and requested Deputy Commissioners to provide details on the machinery needed for cleanliness operations, along with records of savings achieved through self-operation. The meeting also discussed imposing fines on owners of vacant plots where garbage is found.

Deputy Commissioners from several districts, including Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan, submitted reports, and they were directed to verify the availability of machinery and equipment physically. A follow-up meeting on the Suthra Punjab programme was scheduled for the following week.