Local Government Minister seeks plan of all the zones of Lahore Municipality

March 10

Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique while directing the administrator Lahore Municipal Corporation to furnish civic facilities plan of all nine zones has pledged that according to the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the cleanliness drive will continue uninterruptedly throughout the province even during the month of holy Ramadan. During the briefing by Administrator/Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider in his first visit to Lahore Municipal Corporation after becoming the Minister of Local Government Department, he said that the scope of the Chief Minister’s Suthra Punjab program was being expanded gradually. “Attention was also being paid to eliminating wall chalking during cleaning”, he said. Administrator LMC/Deputy Commissioner Lahore Rafia Haider gave a briefing about the provision of civic facilities. Provincial Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique while presiding over the meeting directed that during the cleanliness campaign, our target are those areas which are generally neglected. He expressed his commitment to provide all possible resources to end the sewage problems province wide. He pointed out that citizens also have a great role in the cleanliness drive. “Fortunately, there has been a lot of awareness among people in this regard. There was a need to conduct a systematic awareness campaign on media and social media”, he directed. Zeeshan Rafique said that there should be a continuous survey of manholes in the streets. “Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has given strict instructions to cover the manholes. It should be implemented accordingly”, he urged. He said that there have been complaints of salary issues in some municipal bodies. “InshaAllah will ensure uninterrupted payment of salaries to the employees”, he vowed. Minister for Local Government directed that the concerned municipal departments should be made more active for the elimination of encroachments. Moreover he further vowed that necessary facilities should also be provided at all bus stands before starting of Eid rush. He said that there will be postings soon on vacant posts in the municipal services bodies. He warned that complaints at parking stands in big cities would be dealt strictly. The provincial minister appreciated the restoration efforts of the historical Shah Ghous Mahmood Library at Delhi Gate under the management of Lahore Municipality. Administrator Rafia Haider told the meeting that 91 municipal schemes have been completed in the recent period while 65 are nearing completion. “Street lights and water filtration plants are our focus”, she said.