Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced an ambitious initiative to install 5,734 water filtration plants across the province by June 2027, emphasizing that access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right of every citizen. According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the chief minister, during a special meeting of the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority, appointed assistant commissioners to oversee the operation of these filtration plants. Public committees under their supervision will be established to monitor the plants at the neighborhood level.

The meeting also concluded with a decision to create mobile maintenance units in every tehsil for the upkeep of these facilities, deploying plumbers and technical staff to ensure continuous maintenance and unbroken access to clean water. Additionally, the Last-Mile Water Supply Project was approved to address water scarcity in Chakwal, Rajanpur, and Rawalpindi, prioritizing water supply schemes extending 256 kilometers in Chakwal and 1,780 kilometers in Rajanpur.

The chief minister received a comprehensive briefing on water bottling plants in Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, and Bahawalpur, which are currently producing 10,000 19-litre water bottles daily. The CM Water Bottling Project has benefited 4.8 million residents, with over 75,000 bottles already distributed to households.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif reiterated the government’s commitment to providing safe drinking water to every citizen and expressed satisfaction over the initiative to deliver clean water directly to homes for the first time in Punjab. She further stated that similar water supply schemes would be launched in other regions following the initial focus on Chakwal, Rajanpur, and Rawalpindi, reducing the need for individuals to travel long distances to access drinking water.