CM Maryam orders housing societies’ cleanliness under Suthra Punjab scheme
CM Maryam Nawaz chaired a meeting on Saturday and ordered authorities to strengthen waste collection and cleaning in residential, commercial and public areas.
New cleaning rules for cities
The chief minister ordered uniform dustbins and garbage bags in markets, bazaars and commercial areas. She also directed officials to set fixed timings for removing waste from these locations.
Main roads should be washed and cleaned at 5am, while streets and neighbourhoods must also receive regular attention. She also ordered the cleaning of vacant plots to prevent them from becoming dumping areas.
Maryam Nawaz directed that Suthra Punjab workers should receive their salaries by the fifth of every month. She also asked for monthly reports from companies to confirm that workers are being paid on time.
Focus on door-to-door collection
The chief minister ordered authorities to ensure door-to-door waste collection across Punjab. Additional deputy commissioners responsible for social services will monitor cleanliness and report problems.
She also directed officials to provide enough workers and machinery according to the needs of each area. Cleaning around schools, colleges, universities and hospitals was also ordered.
Parks and greenbelts must be cleared of empty bottles, juice boxes and other waste. Urban areas around railway tracks must also be cleaned, while city entry and exit points should be cleaned daily and on schedule.
Contractors face stricter monitoring
Deputy commissioners were told to stay in regular contact with contractors and WASA managing directors. Field monitoring officers will receive uniforms, while their motorcycles will also carry official branding.
The chief minister ordered the preparation of standard operating procedures to measure performance from Suthra Punjab workers to senior officers. Special attention will be given to cleanliness in fruit and vegetable markets.
Contractors violating the new procedures will initially be given 24 hours to improve their performance. Fines can be imposed if the required improvements are not made.
“Imposing fines is not our objective; the focus should be on ensuring cleanliness,” she said. She also called for a zero-tolerance policy against poor performance under Suthra Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz further ordered regular cleaning of Suthra Punjab vehicles, waste containers and collection points. She directed officials to implement all instructions and called another review meeting after seven days.
The new instructions show that the Punjab government wants Suthra Punjab to focus more on daily cleanliness rather than only responding to complaints. Housing societies, markets, public institutions and roads will all come under closer monitoring.
Regular worker payments and stronger contractor checks could improve the system if the orders are properly implemented. The seven-day review will provide an early test of whether the new measures are producing visible results.
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