Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has dismissed an initial proposal to impose charges on bottled drinking water, reaffirming her commitment to maintain access to clean drinking water as a public service.

According to Directorate General Public Relations – Govt of Punjab, the chief minister chaired a special meeting on the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority where she reviewed the progress of the bottled drinking water pilot project. She directed that daily progress reports be submitted for the four districts involved in the initiative. The meeting also discussed proposals for delivering clean drinking water to households via water tankers and was informed about the ongoing construction of 864 water filtration plants across Punjab, with plans for an additional 1,913 plants.

The pilot project is currently supplying 10,000 bottles of 19-litre clean drinking water free of charge in the designated districts. The chief minister has instructed authorities to expedite the completion of 1,886 water filtration plant projects throughout Punjab. Recommendations for establishing 670 bottled drinking water plants were also reviewed, with plans for 335 plants to have a production capacity of 5,000 litres each, and the remaining 335 to produce 10,000 litres. Additionally, a proposal was presented to set up 4,020 distribution points for bottled water supply.

Currently, 860 bottles are being distributed daily in Khushab, 780 in Rahim Yar Khan, 1,500 in remote areas of Koh-e-Suleman in Dera Ghazi Khan, and 2,780 in Bahawalpur. Chief Minister Nawaz has directed that the number of trucks transporting water be increased to ensure an uninterrupted supply, emphasizing her commitment to providing clean drinking water at citizens’ doorsteps. She highlighted the importance of addressing the challenges faced by people in remote areas who endure long journeys for water, underscoring the project as a guarantee of public health and dignity.