Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has introduced an innovative plan for waste disposal in Punjab, as she directed the authorities concerned to use colored dustbins for collection of waste in the province. In the first phase, she directed to implement ‘Smart Waste Management Process’ in government and private educational institutions across Punjab, under which five-colored dustbins would be placed in government and private educational institutions. Senior Minister for Environment and Climate Change Marriyum Aurangzeb will supervise the project. Targets have been assigned to Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat and Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique; whereas deadlines have been set for installing colored dustbins in all schools by September 30.
Chief Minister said that inspection would begin from October 1, and fines would be imposed for not having colored dustbins. She added that different types of garbage would be collected in different colored garbage bins, Environmental Protection Agency has issued an official notification for the purpose. She noted that paper and garbage will be collected in yellow bins; bottles, glass pieces and waste materials used in laboratories would be put in green bins; fruit peels, wasted food, leaves and rotten vegetables would be thrown in purple (gray) bins; red garbage bins would be used for iron and other metal waste; and orange bins would be used to collect plastic waste, and essential items would be used to make the waste reusable.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that the aim of this innovative method is to reduce the amount of waste and promote environmentally friendly behaviors. She added that educational institutions can also contact Punjab Management Helpline (1139) to collect waste, while the Local Government and Community Development Department will play its role in managing the colored waste. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will ensure implementation of this method in educational institutions, its teams will also inspect the educational institutions. She underscored that educational institutions that meet standards will be issued a certificate by EPA.
On Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s directions, roads have been repaired on an emergency basis in flood-affected areas of the province. Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Irrigation Minister Kazim Ali Pirzada, Communication Minister Sohaib Bharat and Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat started work on restoration of roads under their supervision. Emergency teams are active filling roads and cracks in Alipur, while teams of the C&W department are working day and night to restore flood-affected roads as soon as possible. Heavy machinery is used to fill cracks caused by flood torrents. A temporary bridge built in Alipur has been opened for public, while construction of affected roads has started in Khairpur Sadat area.
Chief Minister noted that a crack caused by flooding near Basti Desi had been filled alongwith a crack caused by flood in Kanwal Road and Basti Azeem Shah, whereas work of filling a crack on Mari Road, Azmatpur was in full swing. She said that a crack on Khairpur Sultanpur Road was filled and the road had been opened for public use.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that the most sacred duty of humanity is to uphold peace, which embodies justice, love and respect.
In her message on International Day of Peace, she paid tribute to those who laid down their lives for this cause, stressing that peace is the first step towards progress and the true antidote to hatred and conflict.