CM Punjab sets 15-day deadline to improve door-to-door waste collection
Maryam Nawaz chaired a meeting to review the performance of the Suthra Punjab programme and expressed displeasure over sanitation complaints in several cities.
She directed officials to improve the door-to-door waste collection system within 15 days and ensure that sanitation services are properly monitored across the province.
The chief minister also ordered action against officials responsible for poor performance.
Managing directors removed over poor sanitation
The meeting decided to remove the managing directors overseeing Suthra Punjab operations in Kasur, Faisalabad and Okara following complaints about poor sanitation.
The chief minister also directed that officials removed from Suthra Punjab for poor performance should not be given any other posting. The move is aimed at making field officials more accountable and ensuring that complaints about waste collection are addressed promptly.
Body cameras planned for field monitoring
The meeting also decided to introduce body cameras to monitor Suthra Punjab field officers. Maryam directed deputy commissioners to conduct daily checks on the performance of monitoring officers.
She also ordered the establishment of a dedicated monitoring section to oversee field activities and track whether officials are properly carrying out their duties. The new system is expected to provide better oversight of sanitation operations and help identify gaps in the waste collection system.
Suthra Punjab beat system to go fully operational
The chief minister directed officials to make the Suthra Punjab beat system fully operational across Punjab. Under the system, sanitation activities can be monitored in specific areas, allowing officials to track waste collection and identify locations where services need improvement.
Maryam also ordered the use of digital challans through Safe City cameras as part of the province’s anti-littering campaign. The measure is intended to strengthen enforcement against people who violate cleanliness rules and dispose of waste improperly.
Thousands of anti-littering inspections conducted
During the briefing, officials told the meeting that anti-littering squads were operating in all divisions of Punjab.
They said the squads had conducted 77,137 inspections, issued 9,353 warnings and issued 19 challans as part of their enforcement activities. Lahore recorded a particularly high number of inspections.
Officials said the anti-littering squad in Lahore had carried out 53,186 inspections, while 2,156 digital challans had been issued through Safe City cameras. The figures show the scale of enforcement activity under the province’s cleanliness campaign.
Nearly 38,000 waste bins installed
Officials also informed the meeting that 37,852 waste bins had been placed at different locations across Punjab.
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The bins are intended to provide residents with designated places to dispose of waste and help reduce littering in public areas. However, the large number of complaints received under the Suthra Punjab programme shows that challenges remain in maintaining sanitation services across the province.
Over 676,000 complaints received
The briefing revealed that 676,551 complaints related to Suthra Punjab had been received across Punjab. Officials said 99% of the complaints had been resolved.
The high number of complaints highlights the pressure on sanitation authorities to maintain regular waste collection and respond quickly when services fall short. Maryam directed officials to improve monitoring so that unresolved complaints do not remain pending and field teams respond more effectively.
Worker payments reviewed
The meeting was also informed that payments to Suthra Punjab workers had been completed on time in most tehsils across Punjab.
Timely payments are important for maintaining the performance of sanitation workers, who are responsible for waste collection and cleanliness activities at the local level. The chief minister’s instructions indicate that the provincial government wants better coordination between field workers, monitoring officers and district administrations.
Focus shifts to accountability and monitoring
The latest measures place greater emphasis on monitoring, enforcement and accountability.
Body cameras, daily checks by deputy commissioners, digital challans and a dedicated monitoring section are intended to give authorities a clearer picture of sanitation activities on the ground. The 15-day deadline also puts pressure on officials to show visible improvements in door-to-door waste collection.
