Despite the initiation of the cleanliness campaign ‘Suthra Punjab’ under the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz, the situation on the ground remains unchanged.
The bureaucracy reportedly wanted to present a favorable report portraying an “all is well” scenario to the newly elected Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) also struggled to achieve zero waste in Punjab Chief Minister’s constituency PP-159. The sanitation conditions in various areas of Lahore remained unchanged despite the efforts.
Sanitation is severely lacking in areas like Yohanabad, Kumahan, Nishtar Colony, Isa Nagar, Atari Throba, Pak Town, Shama Colony, and Shadab Colony. Furthermore, garbage remains uncleared from Lower Mall, Al Mamtar Road, and Bastami Road. Nishtar Colony, in particular, depicts a concerning state of poor sanitation.
Despite claims made by LWMC CEO Babar Saheb Deen of removing one and a half lakh tons of garbage in a month, citizens refute these assertions, stating that they have not observed any improvement in the ground situation.
During the campaign, efforts were made to clean drains, yet sewage problems persisted. This highlights the importance of active citizen participation alongside administrative measures to achieve lasting improvements in cleanliness standards.
Visit any village of Punjab. You will not find a bin for many kilometres. These leaders have no idea how waste management works. First develop a system of waste management and water collection and then you can achieve your aims of cleanliness.
Rightly the writer said ground situation defies the high claims of cleanliness