Punjab’s Local Government Minister, Zeeshan Rafique, has unveiled an ambitious plan to set up 10 recycling plants across the province’s divisions. The objective is to transform garbage into energy and compost, aligning with contemporary waste disposal norms.
As part of the “Suthra Punjab Programme,” this initiative aims to revolutionize waste management practices in both rural and urban areas. The provincial minister stated that the success of the first phase has prompted the launch of the second and third phases at the same time.
In the second phase, the focus is on ensuring equitable municipal services in both rural and urban areas. To maintain cleanliness, a worker will be assigned to every 250 households, tasked with street cleaning, garbage collection, and sewage maintenance.
Sanitation services in tehsils will be outsourced for improved efficiency and reliability. Collected garbage will be stored temporarily at designated points before being transported to recycling plants or landfills.
The provincial government plans to digitally monitor the new sanitation system to ensure its effectiveness. The minister highlighted that this move would not only enhance cleanliness and reduce environmental impact but also open up new avenues in the recycling sector.
Zeeshan Rafique stated that Punjab faces a daily solid waste generation of 57,500 tonnes, with municipal bodies collecting only around 18,000 tonnes, leading to environmental deterioration.
To tackle this issue, the government is nearing agreements with solid waste management companies to ensure regular waste collection and disposal.
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Waste to energy based in municipal garbage will not be a successful option to dispose of municipal solid waste. If GO of Punjab is so keen then let such project be established in private sector.