By Amjad Yousaf Zai
ATTOCK : District administration Attock under the directives of the chief minister has launched an extensive cleanliness campaign, marking a significant step towards a cleaner, more sustainable environment. The campaign will continue till March 31st.
According to official sources, deputy director of local government will oversee the initiative and waste heaps would be completely eradicated from open spaces. During the drive, vegetable markets, bus terminals, and cemeteries will be cleared of waste and awareness camps will be set up at UC levels in the six different tehsils of Attock accordingly. During a meeting held in deputy commissioner office, which was attended by all six assistant commissioners and their chief officers besides officials from district council and municipal committee as well as local government, Khawaja Hassan deputy director local government Attock has informed that out of 71 union councils (UCs) of the district, zero waste and wall chalking has ensured in two UCs, 16 out of 18 water filtration plants made functional, 9 main holes covered, 1879 street lights made functional, 38 block drains cleared while 286 banners removed across the district during last three days. He affirmed that the department was committed to ensuring optimal sanitation conditions in both urban and rural regions. He informed the participants that a quick response score was formulated under the supervision of the local government to redress the complaints of citizens regarding sanitation.
Briefing the newsmen about the cleanliness drive during his visit to various parts of Attock city, deputy commissioner Rao Atif Raza has said that in line with the directives of Chief Minister (CM) Punjab, a comprehensive cleanliness initiative has been set in motion across the entire Attock district. He said that for the first time, a concerted effort is being made to ensure there is no division of responsibilities and blame-shifting among the Railway, Cantonment, and district council jurisdictions while each department has been held accountable for the cleanliness of their designated areas, promoting a spirit of collaboration and shared responsibility. Responding a question, he said that complaints would be redressed on a daily basis. He appealed to citizens to cooperate with the administration to make the clean Punjab campaign a success and throw waste at designated places. Emphasizing the significance of the ‘Saf Suthra Punjab’ project, Mr RAza highlighted that district government operational staff had already commenced efforts to liberate Rawalpindi from waste.
Responding to another question, Mr Atif Raza has reiterated the goal of achieving zero waste by employing both manual and mechanical sweeping, with special attention to washing roads and eliminating bushes and weeds in open plots and cemeteries. He said that door-to-door awareness regarding cleanliness will be conducted, along with lectures in schools and colleges while awareness about cleanliness will be disseminated through shopkeepers, market committees, and traders’ associations. He added that the concerned staff will be imparted directives to keep public parks, sports fields and shopping centers clean. Daily monitoring and review meetings will ensure the completion of all tasks. Responding a question, he said that complaints would be redressed on a daily basis. He appealed to citizens to cooperate with the administration to make the clean Punjab campaign a success and throw waste at designated places. Responding to a question, Mr Raza has said that the focus will be not only on cleanliness but also on other services of the local government, including streetlights, maintenance of filtration plants for supplying clean drinking water and broken manholes and their covers.
During his inspection, he also scrutinized the parked backup vehicles. In addition, he issued orders to the concerned drivers and fleet managers, emphasizing the necessity of conducting daily inspections on operational vehicles to ensure their optimal performance. He also visited the municipal committee office and checked the attendance of drivers and the working hour status of operational vehicles leaving on the first shift
