Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered provincial authorities to reach a 100% improvement in cleanliness across the province within 15 days.
The chief minister issued this mandate during a special session convened to evaluate the Suthra Punjab program. Officials at the meeting agreed to transition to self-operated waste management systems in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Lahore. Maryam Nawaz requested a comprehensive report on the total savings generated through these self-operated systems.
She required all deputy commissioners to provide a list of the specific machinery needed for sanitation operations. Maryam Nawaz directed the implementation of penalties for individuals who dump waste in markets, specifically targeting grain, vegetable, and fruit markets. Fines must be imposed on anyone who litters once the cleaning teams have finished their work.
The meeting discussed the possibility of fining owners of vacant plots where garbage is allowed to accumulate. No final decision was announced regarding the proposal to fine owners of such vacant plots. Targets were established to ensure that every district possesses adequate machinery and sufficient sanitation staff.
Teams were instructed by Maryam Nawaz to clean villages on alternate days. She ordered deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners to hold weekly meetings with Field Monitoring Officers (FMOs). Maryam Nawaz called for the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the performance of these officers.
Progress reports were submitted by deputy commissioners from Muzaffargarh, Hafizabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, and Multan, alongside other district officials. Nawaz told deputy commissioners to conduct physical verifications of the equipment and machinery available in their districts. A follow-up meeting to review the progress of the Suthra Punjab cleanliness drive is scheduled for next week.
